X-Knights: The First Month
by Richard B. Sampson Jr
Summary: Five years after closing it's door, Generation X members reassemble to teach and form a new team. Ch.27: With the final chapter of the First Month, a rescue attempt is made, and the 'Rippers' put their bold plan into action, but the outcome is not what some expected. Read and Review.
1. Darkness Reborn

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start. 

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Lord and Lady Dark looked through the portal that was created by their slave, Portal. This portal would be the escape they needed to avoid the fate that was heading their way. The key moment that allowed their timeline to exist had been destroied. However, it was not by him, but by a friend of their slave. He still wondered how they had mimicked his wife, but that was not the issue now. The issue was if they had found the right timeline. He looked back at Portal, and said, "Are you sure this is the place?" 

He heard Portal say, "He's here. He may be older than when the others sent him back, but he's here." 

Dark Lord smiled as he realized they found the one the others had sent back. He looked at his wife and said, "This is it. This is were they sent him. I wonder how much changed since he altered the timeline." 

He heard his wife say, "Patience, my dear. We can start anew here. I sense many mutants there. Let's go." He watched his wife step through the portal, and he brought Portal through it with him. When they were through, he checked all their hoods. Since Portal's friends had interfered, their empire was in ruins, and only his loyal followers knew his plans. 

When they were ready, he turned to Portal and said, "Close it. We aren't heading back there." He watched the portal vanish, and then looked around. It was late. Darkness had fallen, and some stores were getting ready to close. He looked around and then noticed his wife was gone. He looked at Portal and said, "Where is Lady Dark?" 

He watched as Portal pointed, and he saw her standing in front of a window with a television playing in it. He walked over and then heard the news broadcast as he viewed it. A young man on the screen, with the name Graylon Walsh, was speaking. "In other news, the King has expressed an interest of opening a mutant school in England. England is one of the more enlightened countries that accepts mutants; and the growing mutant population, has made the need for a mutant school essential. The only thing which has had it on hold is Lord Richard Cale, advisor to the Throne, has been asked to run it. Rumours state that the school might be funded by Charles Xavier, who has volenteered to help staff the school." 

He motioned Lady Dark back and said to her, "Did you hear that? Did you hear the name that was mentioned?" 

He watched as she nodded and said, "I did, my love. It just means we will have to work underground for a while. Besides, our first member is going to show up. Look." He looked to where she pointed, and a wall became transparent. A young man was running through and froze in shock. 

Lord Dark looked at the name tag and smiled as he said, "Welcome to your new family, Jack." The mutant didn't stand a chance as he and his wife grabbed him and started to feed on his powers. This was just the beginning. 

* * *

Lord Richard Cale just stood behind the current King of England. When he started this job five years ago, he worked with Queen Elizabeth II. It had been then he had learned her family was giving up the throne to the current King. Now, he served King Edmund II. It was hoped that he would be the first monarch to end the hostilities between humans and mutants. Recent events in the country only made his job more difficult. For the past year, King Edmund II had been asking him his opinion on a mutant school in England. Of course, everytime the topic came up, one name always came up with the topic. In fact, Richard knew it was due to come up again. He wasn't even surprised when King Edmund II said, "Lord Cale, I was wondering if I could talk to you about the idea of a mutant school in England again." 

Richard looked at the King and said, "Sire, I have already mentioned my feelings on the matter, especially with who you even suggest being in charge." 

He stood silent as the King said, "Lord Cale, are you suggesting that Professor Charles Francis Xavier is a evil man. We have all seen that his X-Men fight for a better world. Why do you not trust the man?" 

Richard looked at the King, and said, "I never said he was evil, Sire, but I do know the man did not have trust in me." He saw a startled look cross the King's face, and he continued, "It happened five years ago that I found that out, when I attended the Xavier School in America. He had even wanted to send some of the X-Men with me as bodyguards. Deep down, he feared I was too powerful, and wanted to guarentee I didn't turn against him." 

He watched as the King took a moment to rethink, and finally say, "Alright, Lord Cale, how about this? What if I put you in charge of the school? To be honest, I'd rather have you taking care of James than anyone else. Besides, I'd like him to be away from all these blasted "Ripper" attacks. That gang has gotten out of hand. They attack humans and mutants alike." 

He had been keeping up to date on the news about the "Rippers". The group that appeared months ago was growing. However their attacks appeared motivated, but random. Usually, the attacks were on young mutants, and any human caught was murdered. The reports even said that those mutants that were left for dead seemed insane. Richard known it seemed similar to something he encountered before, and that only fueled his current stand. "Frankly, Sire, I think it would be best not to have a school. A school might draw attention of the 'Rippers'." He saw a disappointed look cross King Edward II's face and Rich sighed. "Give me the weekend to consider, Sire. Let's just keep a better lid on this. Somehow, that reporter got wind of the idea. When anything like this falls into public eye, it is inviting trouble." 

He saw the King look at him, as he said, "Understood, Lord Cale. I'm still not sure how Mr. Walsh found out about the school, but I have a feeling it's not from the palace." Richard was ready to move. The whole school subject made him uncomfortable, and he knew the King realized it. He was thankful when King Edmund II just said, "You may leave, Lord Cale. Have a nice weekend." Richard nodded and headed for the door out. He also noticed that Clarice was ready to leave, by the way she moved.

* * *

Clarice watched the entire time that Richard and King Edmund II had been talking. Over the past five years, she learned it was best to stay at a distance, but in the same room. That way, she never overheard anything she wasn't supposed to hear. However, she did know when she should listen, especially when she heard the term 'Rippers'. Ever since the first attacks a few months back, she had been keeping up on the situation. She knew she might run into a 'Ripper' attack one day. She have even had a chance to see a victim before they died. She had kept that from everyone, not sure if what she had heard and seen was true. Soon, she saw Richard walking away from the King. As he neared, she opened the door and said, "Not an easy Friday, was it, sir?" 

She knew he was upset by the fact that he didn't speak until the door was closed. "Things are never easy when the topic of the school comes up. Every time the topic comes up, somehow Professor Xavier is pushed into the conversation. At least now, the King knows why I don't trust Xavier. Of course, you already know why, Clarice." 

She nodded as they moved down the hall, and closer to the exit. As they progressed, she said, "You know, Richard, it's not totally unreasonable to have a school for mutants here. Look at how it helped us in America. We became better with our abilities, due to the skills we learned. Besides, young mutants should learn how to defend themselves, especially against the 'Rippers'." 

She watched as Richard shook his head and said, "If a mutant school is openned, it will draw the 'Rippers' to the school. Not a good thing if he wants the Prince to attend the school. Besides, the 'Rippers' are most likely a mutant hate group. It's the only way to explain their actions." 

Clarice knew what her friend, and employer, was thinking. He wanted to think the 'Rippers' were just another one of the hate groups that plagued mutant existance. She looked at Richard and said, "Richard, I know what you are thinking, but I know something you don't. I saw one of the victims, just as they died." 

She saw Richard shudder, especially as they stepped outside in the cool England air. As they approached the car, he said, "And what makes you think it isn't a hate crime? The brutal nature of the crimes makes it appear to be hate crimes." 

She understood what Rich was saying, but Richard didn't know what the victims had said. She got in the car as he got in the driver's side and said, "To be honest, what they had said, I had heard before. I was almost surprised by what they said, but I didn't let it show." 

Richard looked at her as he started the car and said, "What do you mean you heard it before? Where could you have heard that before?" 

She looked at the road as it started to move before she told him. "I heard it from you, and Yvette, almost a year ago. Remember when both you and her couldn't sleep. You agreed to let Dr. McCoy come out to help, under the condition he came alone. When you were both under hypnosis, you both related the details of how Emplate fed off both of you. It was the same thing the last victim said. It was an Emplate attack." 

She heard the car accelerate as Richard said, "Emplate is long gone. He's far away where he can never hurt anyone again. His people haven't increased in numbers, so it can't be an Emplate attack. Emplate is gone!" His last words were shouted, but she got the point. She also knew Richard was denying the fact that Emplate was back. But, deep down, she hoped he was right. Five years was a long time for revenge to build up. 

* * *

Yvette Cassidy Cale sat in the library of the Cale family home. She was reading one of the letters she and Rich had received over the past month. Almost once a week, a letter arrived from one of their former classmates. This letter was from Paige, who was now with the X-Men for five years. As she read the letter, she learned that much had changed over the years. Paige's relationship with Jonothan had had it's ups and down, but this letter stated that the were now engaged. She knew they would be invited, but she also knew they would not go. Part of it was the whole trust issue, which she knew Xavier still tried to keep tabs on them. It was evident by the fact that occasionally, she felt Xavier try to use Cerebro. Over the past five years, she improved her psychic abilitlies to the point she knew when Xavier was using Cerebro to check her and the others. Thankfully, this wasn't one of those times. 

As she put the letter down in a set of letters from Paige and Jono, she felt a tug at her sleeve. She turned to see the adorable face of her three year old daughter looking at her. She smiled at her daughter, as the little one said, "Whatcha doin, Mummy?" It was cute that her children had a British accent, even though her's, and her husband's, was not natural. 

She picked her daughter up and said, "Well, Ashley, Mummy is reading letters from one of her and daddy's schoolmates. Do you want to read one with Mummy?" She saw her daughter nod vigorously, and she picked another one. 

Once it was open, she noticed her daughter looked right at the way it was signed, and said, "Who's Skin, Mummy?" 

Yvette smiled and said, "Well, his real name is Angelo, but he had a nickname of Skin. We all had nicknames in school. Even your 'Aunt' and 'Uncle' had nicknames at school." 

She watched as her daughter giggled at that. "What kind of nickname did you have, Mummy?" 

Yvette thought back to those years, and started to wonder if her daugher would understand the nickname. She didn't totally understand how they gave it to her. As she thought about it, she decided it was time to change the topic. She looked into her daughter's eyes and said, "Ashley, where is your brother?" 

She watched as Ashley's face brightened up as she said, "He's with Unca Darrett and Joleen. I think they are playing with one of the games. I'll show you." She watched as her daughter jumped down and ran to the door. She got up when her daughter turned around and said, "Come on, Mummy." 

She headed for the door and said, "I'm on my way, Ashley. Now behave, or Mummy will have to teach you how good Mummy was at a game of tag." She heard her daughter squeal in joy as she ran out the door, and she gave chase. As she ran after her child, she could help but think that nothing could ruin life now.

* * *

Darrett sat at a table, watching a game between his daugher, and Richard Cale III. This was one of the nicer parts of his job, and his new life. Being bodyguards for the Cale's was better than any other job would be. He and Clarice had room and board, a place to raise their daughter. Not many other people could claim that. Right now, he sat in the main sitting room, watching his daughter, and Richard's son, play a game of Yahtzee. As he watched, he heard Joleen say, "Come on, Rich. Pick up the dice and role again." 

He watched as the boy looked at the dice and said, "Dad always says 'to win this game, you have to read the dice.' I see him do it, but I don't know how." 

Darrett smiled and said, "Rich, that's because your father knows things like how likely a certain role will come up. He also gets a sort of vibe of how the dice will role. Your father is one to know when something unexpected is going to pop up." 

He noticed that Rich shuddered, and said, "Then why doesn't Dad believe me when I say that monster shows up outside my window." For that, he had no answer. For the past two months, the boy had clamed a monster was outside his window. He checked every night, as well as the others, and nothing was seen. Everyone figured that the monster was just a cry for attention. 

He looked at the boy and said, "You know we have all looked, and no one could find that monster. Are you really sure it's there?" Something he had learned while working with Richard and Yvette was that monsters were real, but rarely encountered by people. There was even a note of a ghost hunt in one of Monet's letters. 

He watched as Rich looked at the door and said, "Then let Grimore stay and check it out. He'll tell you if a monster is there." Darrett glanced at the door and saw the cat enter the room. After five years, he was almost over the shock of hearing the cat speak long ago. Now, the fact that Grimore can speak was almost common knowledge at the Cale household. 

He looked over at Grimore and said, "So Grimore, does a monster really exist in Rich's room?" 

He noticed that Grimore sat and looked at them as he said, "There are no monsters in the room, or around the room. I think it is something outside the room scaring the child. Richard III, if you see or hear it tonight, call your father immediately. As for now, Darrett, you should turn on the news." 

Darrett wondered about what Grimore said, but wondered if there was some link to the news. He turned on the television, only to see the face of reporter Graylon Walsh on screen. That particular reporter had been focused on anything involving mutants since King Edmund II came into power. Soon, he heard Walsh say, "In other news, King Edmund II appears to be putting a dead line on his Mutant School idea. The King has asked Lord Cale to re-examine his reservations of a Mutant School due to recent 'Ripper' attacks. Sources state that his lordship will give an answer by Monday." 

He was almost startled when he heard Yvette say, "Richard is not going to like that. Besides, I don't think he's going to agree to a school. I know how my husband thinks." 

He nodded in agreement. "You are right, Yvette. Besides, what kind of event would make Richard agree to a school. We all know that Xavier would be wanting to advice on it, and Richard doesn't want that." He knew she was right. 

He was startled when Grimore just said, "We will know about his decision tonight. Something about tonight will influence Richard's decision." When he heard that, he gave Yvette a look, and he saw the same thing he felt, fear. 

* * *

Yvette sat at the table, watching as her husband considered the dice before him. She knew this day had him stressed, just by the fact that he wanted to play a game of Yahtzee. It was his way of figuring out the problems of the day. As they sat there, she looked at him and said, "You were upset about the news. It's like no one can keep secrets from Graylon Walsh, especially in the castle" 

She watched as he picked up two sixes and a one, leaving the two fives, and said, "The fact that he found out about the school does not bother me as much as the increasing 'Ripper' attacks. Personally, I hope that certain facts about the most recent one are false." She noticed that Rich gave Clarice a look, and punctuated his statement with rolling the dice. 

As the dice landed, she heard Darrett say, "What's so bad about having a school? We could take care of our children, and even give them some friends to play, and maybe it will shake your son out of believing in monsters in his room. Even Grimore said there were no monsters in his room, yet he still insists that something is terrorizing him." She noticed that Darrett's opinion on the school had changed, probably because he was thinking about all the children. She then saw Darrett then look at the dice and smiled. "Guess you aren't reading the dice all to well, tonight." She saw Rich had now a two, three, two fives's and a six. 

She watched as Rich picked up one of the fives, and heard Clarice say, "Maybe it is related to the attacks. We already know that the 'Ripper's aren't a hate group. At least, I suspect as much. I don't know if Rich believes what I told him or not." 

Yvette glanced at Rich and it was then she noticed a worried look crossing his face. Deep down, she knew she would regret asking what the cause of the worry was, but she knew she had to ask. She looked at her husband and said, "Is it possible that He has returned?" 

She watched as her husband slammed the cup down, causing the dice to pop out. The oddness only increased as a four ended up on the one dice Richard had rolled. She watch as Richard let go of the cup and said, "There is no way in blazes that Emplate could be back. I sent him so far away that he will never find his way back. It was the only safe way to be rid of him. There is no way he could be leader of this 'Ripper' gang." It was then she realized that she hit the nail on the head. Apparently, the 'Ripper's were a gang of Emplates. 

She then hoped it wasn't true. Even the thought of that monster being back made her go pale in fright. It was then she started to fear for her children, who were now both in bed. Now she felt that the only way they would be safe was if they had a mutant school set up. She looked at her husband and said, "Hun, maybe it would be best if we open a mutant school, especially if Emplate's return is possible." She could sense her husband's discomfort more than before. She just hoped the thought of Emplate returning was wrong.

* * *

Richard looked at his wife and said, "No, a school is a bad idea. Even if I were to head it, it would still draw attention. Plus, there is no way Emplate can return. The 'Rippers' are just a gang of anti-mutant people. Opening a school would be asking for disaster." 

He heard Clarice say, "Richard, there is no way they could know how Emplate worked. The last victim gave an exact description of how Emplate feeds. How can you ignore that?" 

Richard looked at her and said, "Because it's not bloody possible. There is no possible way it could be Emplate. Give me on good reason to believe it is Emplate, and maybe I'll consider." 

He was almost startled when Grimore spoke from the chair he was laying on. "Are you still trying to ignore the dreams you've had over the past few months." Richard then felt everyone's eyes on him. He had only told Grimore about the nightmares, and hoped they were nothing. 

He then heard Darrett say, "Richard, that's not good. After our time in Generation X, you know your dreams mean something. Don't deny it. You know something is up, now tell us what has you bothered." 

He didn't want to acknowledge the fact, and he wasn't about to answer it. He then heard Yvette say in their mind link, {Richard, do you want to tell them, or shall I show them?} 

He gave Yvette a look and said, in their mindlink, {You wouldn't dare. I don't think even you want to know what my dreams have been lately.} He did know Yvette was capable of showing others what is on another person's mind. Five years out of school, and Yvette had improved her abilities, to the point that she could tell when Xavier was checking up on them. He even knew of one time when Yvette literally lashed out at Xavier. 

Before anyone could question him on their conversation, he heard a scream echo through the home. He knew right away it was his son. He heard Yvette say, "Oh no, not again." 

Richard was up and heading up the steps to his son's room. As he ran, he heard the others behind him, and Darrett saying, "Yvette, remember what Grimore said earlier?" Now he was really worried. If Grimore had said anything, he knew it couldn't be good. 

As they reached the door, he heard Yvette say, "Clarice, maybe you should go in as well. I do really hope it's nothing." He could hear an edge of fear in Yvette's voice. Now he was starting to worry. 

He nodded and then entered the room. As they approached the bed, he noticed his son was hiding under the covers. He looked around and said, "Alright, son, what happened this time? Did the monster call your name again?" 

He saw his son peek out from under the covers as he said, "N-n-no. H-h-he s-s-said s-s-something d-d-different. H-h-he's s-s-saying S-s-skitz." Richard caught his breath as he realized what his son had said. 

Richard looked at the boy and said, "Where is it coming from?" When his son pointed at the window, Richard started over. He had a bad feeling as he walked to the window. He had never told his children their codenames from Generation X. The only thing this could be was a foe from the past. He threw open the window, and felt his heart freeze. He quickly shouted, "Blink, get my son out of here. NOW!" He also wish he had his sword as he looked out at the floating figure of Emplate.

* * *

Marius watched as Richard Cale reacted as he knew he would. Soon he heard the familiar sound of Clarice blinking out of the room. He saw Rich back away, but decided to help his adversary move back. He put up his hand and saw Rich fly backwards into the wall with such a force that he would black out in a few minutes. He floated into the room and said, "You know, Richard, I expected you to respond to your son's cries sooner." 

He saw the fear in Richard's eyes as he said, "How did you find your way back, Marius?" 

He smiled and said, "It took time, but I found my way. I just thought I'd let you know I'm back. I see you've been busy. I bet you were hoping I was dead, however, I think you knew I was alive." 

He saw Richard was struggling to stay awake, and also looking around. "What makes you think you'll leave here without being attacked, Marius. You know I'm not the only one here." 

Marius smiled and said, "You think I didn't make sure no one could bother us while we spoke. Now, don't you worry. Like I said, this is a time to chat, not to attack. However, maybe I should remind you of what I can do, before you black out." With that, he placed his hand on Richard's forehead and began to sup on his adversary. He even got joy out of hearing Richard's screams. He also heard a furious pounding on the door to the room. 

He pulled his hand away and looked at Richard as a bit of blood started to run down his victims forehead. He head Richard says, "So the 'Rippers' are your gang." 

He started to float out the door and said, "No, Richard, they aren't mine. It may take you a while to figure that out, but I assure you, they are not mine." As he floated out the window, he heard Rich fall. He also knew the rest of the people there would enter soon. He turned around and just said, "Until we meet again, Skitz, and we will." He then disappeared and teleported to the hidden lair he had created five years ago. He needed to see his love, and his son. 

* * *

Elane Bonstien looked at her son as she placed him in bed. She repeated this ritual alone for almost five years, and her son was aware that things were slowly getting worse for them. As she tucked him in, he said to her, "Mom, when will Dad return? His followers seem to be getting restless." 

She kissed her son's forehead and said, "I hope it is soon, Marcus. He is needed to return order around here. Now, rest well, because I feel tomorrow will be a very important day." She watched as her son nodded and closed his eyes. As he started to sleep, Elane left the room and closed the door. 

She walked down the hall to the meeting room, and saw Freeze Frame, Britney and D.O.A. waiting for her. As she entered, she heard Britney say, "Is Marcus asleep?" 

She nodded and decided they needed to address the whole situation, like they did every night. She looked over them and said, "Alright, we need to figure out what is going on. D.O.A. what is going on out in the world?" 

She watched as the little man pulled out a notebook and said, "From what I found out from my mutant scanner, there is a strange gang growing in England. It's been doing that for months. It also makes finding possible food very tough. Plus, with mutant acceptance growing, Xavier has a few schools in America, as well as other countries. It appears the only thing keeping him out of schools in England is Skitz." 

Elane gave a slight smile at that. "He doesn't realize that his holding out is making things worse in his part of the world. With that gang growing, a school might be the only thing that might stop their growth. Of course, we might have to move in and take over that gang." She then looked over at Freeze Frame and said, "What's the situation on our followers, and with the prisoners?" 

She watched as Freeze Frame shook his head and said, "Not good. Those minions that Emplate got before I joined are getting restless. They resent that Emplate me his second. They are planning a revolt. Almost every time we get another girl changed by Changer, they take her and kill her within seconds. Even Subfeast wasn't totally safe from their attack." 

It took her a moment to realize Freeze Frame was talking about both Christina and Britney. That was until Britney said, "If it wasn't for the gloves and phasing device D.O.A. had made for me, they would have killed me too. Plus, I found out if Emplate doesn't return soon, they are going to strike against us." Elane was now very concerned. If Emplate's minions decided to revolt, they would be dead. 

She was almost startled when a new voice said, "Then it is good I returned." She turned in the direction of the voice and saw Marius appear out of thin air. When she saw him, she ran over and embraced him. She was glad when he said, "I missed you as well, my love. Now, you must bring me up to speed on everything, including the 'Rippers' that are rising in England. It seems we might have some rivals in our task." She nodded and smiled as he said that. This was the beginning of a new era. Now that Marius was back, he could resume his plan to take over the world. 

* * *

Clarice had been trying to blink into the room as Darrett tried to break the door down. She knew that when the scream started, Yvette had taken Rich to her and Richard's room. Soon, she heard Yvette running back and say, "Did you get in there? Is Richard alright?" 

Before she could tell Yvette about their lack of success, the door opened, and Darrett said, "It's open." She then heard her husband gasp as he said, "Richard is on the floor." She followed him in, with Yvette just behind her. 

As they entered, she saw Yvette run in front of her, running to Richard's side as she said, "Oh God. Richard, what happened?" She watched as she rolled Richard onto his back, and then heard the gasp of surprise. She then saw it. There was a small circular scar on his forehead. That gasp turned into a look of terror as she heard Yvette say, "No." 

Soon, she saw Richard's eyes open, and heard him gasp for air as he awakened. Clarice looked at him and said, "Richard, what happened? What was it?" But she was sure she knew the answer. 

Rich inhaled and said, "Call the King. Tell him the school is on. Call Jubilee, Everett, and Monet. I'll call one other. The school is a go. Emplate is back, but don't tell the others yet." It was then she knew what Grimore must have know. Emplate had returned. 

Chapter End 


	2. New Class, New Problems

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start. 

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New Class, New Problems 

Everett Thomas looked out at the company he and his wife had. They were co-workers that, over the five years, became good friends with them. At least once a month, they got together to visit and talk. His wife, Jubilation, was in the kitchen getting some snacks together. As she was doing that, he heard John say, "Hey Everett, how did you and Jubilation start working for the company?" 

He took a moment to think, and then said, "It was sort of odd. The job offer came from Richard Cale Jr. Sort of a graduation gift." 

He then hear Tina gasp as she said, "You mean the owner of the company gave you a job. How did you manage to meet him?" 

He listened as Jubilation shouted from the kitchen, "We went to school with him. He's a real nice guy. We even know his wife." He turned to see her walk out of the kitchen with a tray full of snacks. She then put down the tray, and sat down next to him, saying, "You should have known them. They were very optimistic. You should have seen how happy they were when they found out she was pregnant the first time." He remembered that day as well. However, he wasn't about to tell them everything about it. 

It was then he heard John say, "I bet they were ecstatic. Speaking of that, Everett, when are you and Ms. Vice-President going to have a family. You two have been married for three years now." 

He glanced over and saw Jubilation blushing. He had to admit that she worked hard to get to the point she was at. It took her four years to show everyone the leadership qualities he knew she had. He also knew she was ready to have children. Every once in a while, she would hint she wanted to have children. He smiled at her and said, "Maybe it will happen some day soon. I just hope that once it happens, our child will grow up in a more receptive world." 

He saw the others in the room nod in agreement. Everyone at Paladin Technologies was enlightened enough to know that mutants and humans were equivilent. In fact, it was due to companies like Paladin Technologies that some of the countries started to change. He then heard Tina say, "Hey, does anyone hear a phone ringing?" 

He saw Jubilation's eyes go wide, and he saw them close. "I thought I told everyone not to bother me tonight. Can't the Vice-President get a night off?" He watched her storm off to her private office. He hoped that who ever was calling had their insurance paid up, because his wife was mad, and when she was mad, sometimes people got hurt.

* * *

Jubilation Thomas was upset. She had told everyone not to bother her tonight, and now, someone had the nerve to call her on the vid phone. It had to be one of the other executives. Four years of hard work put her in the high position, and also gave her a few agrivations. Now, all she wanted was a quiet night with her husband, especially after their company left. Once she was in her private office, she walked over to the vid phone, pushed the button and said, "Alright, this had better be important, or you are going to be sorry you bothered me when I didn't want to be bothered." 

She hadn't looked directly at the screen until she heard a familiar voice with a British accent say, "I'm sorry if it's an inconvenience to you, 'Sis'. However, it's is late night here, so it's more inconvenient to us." She did a double take when she saw the familiar redhead on the screen. 

She took a moment to regain her composure as she said, "Oh my God, 'Penny', is that you?" She turned around and shouted out the door, "Ev, it's Yvette. She's calling from England." She then turned back to the screen and said, "'Penny', how are you and Richard doing, and everyone else?" 

She saw Yvette smile, but she could also see the smile was a bit forced. Something had happened over in England. She also knew Yvette was trying to hide it, especially when Yvette said, "We are all fine, just had a bit of a shake up here. However, Richard and I would appreciate if you two would come to England. We'll pay for the trip, but we need you two here right now." 

Now she was getting worried. She had seen Yvette shook up before, but she also knew that what had her shook up before could not be the cause this time. She was also surprised when she heard Everett behind her say, "What's up, Yvette?" 

She watch as Yvette looked back at someone and then turned back to the vid phone. "I'll tell you about it when you get here, but it is important you get here. Look at it as a chance for you two to stay in a romantic country setting. I'm sure you two need the chance away from the company." She saw Yvette smile at that. 

She turned to Everett and said, "Do you think a trip to England would do us good?" 

She saw him smile and said, "I think it would do you worlds of good. You need a vacation. Besides, your nerves are almost frazzled. If you didn't have such control over your powers, you would have paffed the vid phone." 

Jubilation nodded in agreement. She then turned to Yvette and said, "Alright, we'll get on the next flight tomorrow. We both still have our passports. Are you calling any others in?" 

She watched as Yvette nodded and said, "Yes, we will. Think of it as a small class reunion." She smiled at the thought of seeing some of the Generation X members again. 

She then heard Everett say, "We'll be there. Just tell Darrett not to give me a bear hug like he did at the wedding." She knew what Everett had meant. At their wedding, Darrett and Clarice had come to attend, while Richard and Yvette had stayed in England. She then head him say, "I'll tell our company the news. I'm sure they'll understand why we have to leave. Heck, I bet they'll be excited as all get out." 

She watched him leave and said, "Alright Yvette, we'll be there. Talk to you soon." She then hung up the vid phone. No doubt Richard and Yvette would have the company jet fly them out. She then got up and looked out the window in her office. She looked out at the night sky and said, "I hope what ever has you worked up, Yvette, isn't the start of something bad. 

* * *

Monet St. Croix was sitting in the castle's foyer when the phone rang. She had almost been lost in reading about some of Gabe's research in the area of Vampires. Not long ago, she and Gabe had to fight off a cult of Vampire. This had been a follow up to something he did in France, but it was still dangerous. However, her search into Vampire lore was her way of trying to find out what her brother truely was. Ever since Richard Cale sent him away five years ago, she was trying to find out what he was. Now, the phone had interrupted that search. It was late at night, and she knew Gabe would be awake. She reached over and picked up the phone, answering in her best German, "Guten Abend." 

She almost dropped the phone when she heard a familar voice say, "Good evening to you as well, Monet." It was Yvette. It had been months since she last spoke with any of her old school friends, however Richard and Yvette had managed to stay in touch. 

She sat down in the chair next to the phone and said, "Yvette, why are you calling? Do you need me to get Gabe?" She was well aware that if Richard and Yvette were calling this late at night, they needed Gabe's help on something. 

Monet was almost shocked when Yvette said, "We don't need Gabe here, Monet. We need you to come to England. Richard and I will pay for the trip if you agree to come out. As for why, I can only tell you when you get here. Will you come?" 

She thought about it long and hard until she answered. "I'll come to England, Yvette. When I hang up, I'll tell Gabe. I will see you in a few days." She hung up the phone and headed up the stairs, and straight to Gabe's study. She was excited about heading to England, but something in her made her feel nervous. What had happened in England to make them call her? 

She knocked on the door, and waited until she heard Gabe say, "Enter." When She entered, she saw Gabe look up and say, "Monet, what's up, and who was on the phone?" 

She stood just inside the door, and said, "It was Yvette, Gabe. She asked me to come to England. I told her that I would. I should be gone only for a few days. I don't know why she called, but she said she'd tell me when I got there." 

She watched Gabe lean back with a look of thought on his face. She felt nervous about this, especially when he said, "Alright, however, I think you should take those books over there with you. I think they might help in your private research. Tell Rich and Yvette that I wish them well." 

She nodded and said, "Yes, sir. Hopefully this visit won't take long." She walked over and grabbed the books he specified. She looked at them and said, "I might not have time to look over all of them by the time I get back." 

She was almost startled when Gabe said, "I think you'll have time to go over all the books. In fact, I think they will be very important." She didn't like the sound of that, and it made her worry. She wasn't worried about what Gabe had said, but was worried about what Yvette hadn't said. With that in her mind, she left the room and headed to her room to pack. 

* * *

Yvette sighed and turned to face Richard, who was now laying on the bed, holding a towel to his head. It pained her to see him doing that. She had thought their worries about Emplate were all over, and now she found out she was wrong. The monster had returned. He had started by terrorizing her son, and then feasting on her husband. She looked over at him and said, "I called in Everett, Jubilee and Monet. I still think we should have told them over the phone." 

She watched as her husband propped himself up and said, "I don't want to start a panic. Besides, if Emplate is heading the 'Rippers', telling any one of our friends that way might lead to someone telling Xavier. The X-Men might make this seem like a war is starting. We must wait to tell everyone. Also, we must get the first students here first. Did you call King Edmund II? 

She nodded and said, "Yes, and he faxed a list of mutants to us. You know, when he first suggested the school, there were countless volunteers. Look at all these names. There is Tasha Lewis, a psychic, There is Amy Johnson, who can throw her voice from a mile away. The list goes on and on." 

She saw Richard look at her and said, "I think we've met Miss Johnson. She hangs around with Kevin Mitchell. Is he on the list?" When she nodded, Richard said, "I knew he was a mutant. I think we should start with getting them in. You and Darrett can bring them here, while Clarice and I fetch young James. Also, hun, you may not want to wear white for a while." 

She looked at him, puzzled, and said, "Why do you say that?" Most of her casual clothes were of the lighter colors. She didn't want to have to change her wardrobe, especially because of one person. 

Richard looked at her and said, "Young James can manipulate water. He has sprayed a lot of the women at the palace with his water gun. I even hate to say it, but he wants to spray Clarice. Personally, I think it's because of her skin color." Yvette knew what her husband was talking about. One of Clarice's most noticible traits was that her mutation had made her skin lavender in color. 

She then noticed that Grimore had entered the room and realized that there was one other thing they had to address. As Grimore lept to the bed, she said, "There is one other thing we have to address. How do we explain Grimore? He's stays quiet when others are around, but we are talking about people being here all the time." She watched as Grimore's ears perked up. She knew he was aware that he had become the center of the conversation. She then glanced at him, as did Richard, and waited for him to respond.

* * *

Grimore looked at Yvette, and then at Richard, before he finally said, "I take it you are trying to figure out how to explain my talking to the six incoming students. Don't worry. I will address the issue personally." He saw a look of utter shock cross his masters' faces. He knew they thought it was a very bad idea. 

He watched as Richard looked at him and said, "Grimore, do you remember the shock on everyones faces when they found out you talked? If Marius hadn't made the order in the first place, we wouldn't have this to worry about." 

Grimore jumped over to the desk and said, "What's done is done. Right now, you have to be ready for your six incoming students. I think that their finding out that a cat can talk is the least of their worries." 

He looked over at Yvette as she said, "Wait a minute, Grimore. Did you just say six students? We only have an idea about four of them. Do you have some information that we should know?" 

Grimore just looked at her and said, "I won't lie to you two. You will have a total of six students to start. Three boys and three girls. I'm sure that as time passes, you will see other students, as well as other problems. In fact, I suggest you get one more person here, especially to keep things balanced." 

He watched as Richard started to stand up. His master looked at him and said, "Grimore, do you have a suggestion in mind, or are you going to keep it as cryptic as you usually keep things?" 

Grimore stood up and said, "Let me just say that the Rippers and Emplate aren't the only problems we will encounter. Remember, there is another sibling in the one family." He watched as Richard got up and headed for the phone. He watched Yvette run to his side, but knew who Richard was calling. The one person that had helped him over five years ago. That would be their eighth teacher for the school. 

* * *

Darrett drove the car out of the grounds of the castle and to the home of Kevin Mitchel. It was one of the two local kids that had shown interest in a mutant school. He had met the boy a few times, when Yvette had to go to town to run errands, or just get out of the castle. Yvette was the only one of them who didn't have a license to drive. At least he knew it would be a short trip. As he drove, he heard Yvette say, "Darrett, do you honestly think the school will be a good idea? I don't want to think we are getting into more that we can handle." 

He looked in the rear view mirror at her and said, "I'm not the only one who thinks this is a good idea. Grimore also said it's a good idea. We can handle it. Remember, we were taught by Emma and Sean. We were taught Xavier's dream, even though we don't want anything to do with him. We will teach these kids right. Plus, we've met these two. It's not like we don't know them." He watched as Yvette smiled with that thought. 

He had to admit, the thought that they knew three of the students helped. However, the calls for the others hit a stand still. Before they left, he and Yvette we calling, while Richard and Clarice went to get the Prince. The calls they had made seemed to have been a waste. While there were optomists, some of the old fears of announcing one's a mutant still were around. Even when Richard publicly announced that everyone was mutants in his group, the people excepted them, but there were other people who had tried to lash out. Even in the small town that the castle was part of had a small group of anti-mutant people. Luckily, Kevin Mitchel's family wasn't one of those people. In fact, they had invited Yvette over with great zeal. As they pulled up to the house, he heard Yvette say, "Well, Darrett, here we are. I hope they aren't too stunned. I don't think everyone gets a visit from a noblewoman." 

He quickly got out of the car, and went round to open the door for her. When she got out of the car, he closed the door and fell into step, one step behind her. As they approached the front door, he noticed that Mrs. Mitchel had opened the door and said, "Lady Cale, please come in. Kevin has been awaiting your arrival. I was surprised that you knew my son." 

He followed Yvette in and heard her say, "Mrs. Mitchel. You don't have to treat me like I'm royalty. You may call me by my first name, Yvette. I sometimes don't feel comfortable being called Lady Cale." 

He watches as the woman nodded, and said, "Alright, La...Yvette. My name is Joan. Kevin told me all about the idea of him being at a mutant school. He's heard so much about Charles Xavier, and his schools. Is Professor Xavier going to be involved with this one?" 

He watched as Yvette looked trouble by the words, and he decided to say something. "Mrs. Mitchel, the school will follow Xavier's dream, but due to something that happened a few years ago, Xavier will not be involved with the school." 

He was startled when he heard a young voice say, "If Lord Cale is running this school, they won't need Professor Xavier. I just can't wait to get there. How many students are there going to be there?" 

He watched as Yvette smiled and said, "So far, we have three confirmed, you, and two others. Are you all ready to go?" 

Darrett watched as Kevin pointed up the steps and said, "I have three suitcases ready to go. I just need to get the other two down." He watched as Kevin was about to turn around and walk up to get the other two suitcases. 

He turned to Yvette and said, "Think I should offer him some help, Yvette?" He watched as she smiled and nodded. He then said, "Hey, Kevin, maybe you should stay down here, let someone else do the leg work." Almost instantly, the form of one of his more familiar summons, Henry Stauf, appeared. He saw Kevin's eyes light up as he said to Henry, "Henry, can you get Kevin's suitcases. We need to get home and start getting people settled in." He saw Henry nod and head up the steps. 

He then turned to face Kevin, just as the boy said, "That is too cool." At that point, he knew the school was what Kevin Mitchel wanted. He just hoped he hadn't surprise Kevin's mother too much.

* * *

Kevin looked in awe as he saw the man ascend the steps. He knew the man was from a game, but he wasn't a big game fan. He did love to read books, and the man fit the description he read in his book. Before he could say anything, he heard his mother say, "Where did he come from?" 

He was almost shocked when Lady Cale said, "Sorry that startled you. Darrett has the ability to conjure up figures to help him out. It has been a very useful ability for him. Sort of like having a helping hand always available." Inwardly, he wondered how Lord and Lady Cale met their bodyguards. He knew that when the Cales returned to England, they returned with both bodyguards, who had to be mutants. 

He looked at Darrett and said, "Pardon me for asking, but was that Henry Stauf? I only ask because I read the book. Do you summon video game characters?" He wondered if that was his power, but he also had a feeling that it wasn't that simple. 

He watched as Lady Cale stood up and said, "His power isn't that simple, Kevin. However, at the school, you'll learn about your ability and others out there. We do have one other person to pick up. If you are ready to go, we will pick up your friend, Amy." 

Kevin felt his eyes light up with joy. "You mean Amy Johnson. I forgot she and I signed up together." He then noticed his mother had a smile on her face. He looked over at her and said, "Mom, don't give me that look. We are just friends." 

He saw his mother smile even more as she said, "Now, now, Kevin. A mother knows when two people are in love. In fact, I think even Yvette here sees it." He wasn't going to admit to his mother that he was in love with Amy, but he then saw Lady Cale nod in agreement. 

He just looked at Lady Cale and said, "Can we go, Lady Cale?" He was starting to get uncomfortable about the whole scene. 

He watched as she nodded and said, "Of course, and you don't have to address me as Lady Cale all the time. Follow me and Darrett to the car, and we will head to Amy's house." He nodded and ran out the door. 

As they all headed to the car, he heard his mother shout, "Take care, son. I know you'll be happy at the school." He knew he would be with Amy there, but he didn't want his mother to know that. 

As they got into the car, he heard Lady Cale say, "Kevin, cherish your family. You never know when you will be without them. Take it from someone who knows." He also noticed the car was now moving. As they moved, he found it odd for Lady Cale to say that, although, no one knew her background. It had been one of the mysteries of the Cale family to endure the years. How did all the Lady Cales, past and current, get selected? He had studied the Cale's since he first met Lady Cale. The only thing he had ever discovered about her was that her maiden name was Cassidy. 

He was almost lost in that thought when he realized they had arrived at Amy's house. He looked out the window of the car as he heard Darrett say, "Shall we head in, or should we announce we are here first?" 

Kevin took that as a cue. He rolled down the window and shouted out, "Hey Amy, are you home?" He looked back in the car and saw the look on both of their faces. Apparently, they weren't expecting the shout. He just smiled and said, "Did you even look into our powers?" 

He was pleasently surprised when he saw the shocked look as he heard Amy's voice say, "Kevin, how are you? Were you asked to join the school as well?" He knew how they heard it. It sounded like it came from the car itself. He also wondered when they would ask about his power, since they now knew her power.

* * *

Amy had looked out of her window when she heard Kevin yell up to her. Kevin was one of her best friends. In fact, she had a crush on him. When she heard him yell, and saw where he was, she responded. Soon, she heard Kevin yell up, "I'm going to the new school, did you want to come to?" 

She smiled and said out to the car, "Of course. I spoke to Lady Cale, herself. I can't wait to get there. In fact, I'm all packed and ready to go." She walked over and grabbed two suitcases. She then said, "I'll be there in a few minutes." 

In a moment, she heard Kevin shout, "All right, but you should have seen their faces. They weren't aware of your power, or at least how it worked." She smiled at that. When she wrote down her power, all she wrote down was that she could throw her voice. It wasn't an accurate description of her power, but it was true. She could manipulate her voice so it would sound like it was coming from anywhere. It was good, especially when she was trying to avoid people. Now, she was going to learn more about her powers, and about others like her. As she headed down the steps, she knew that going to the school was the right thing. Her parents had wanted to even send her to America to attend the Xavier school, but she didn't want to leave England. 

As she decended the stairs, she heard her mother say, "Is Lady Cale here to take you to the school?" 

She reached the bottom of the stairs and said, "Yes, Mum. I'm heading out now. I thought it would save them some time, especially since Kevin is with them." She then noticed her father had looked up from his paper. Her father was a business owner, a small business, but it allowed him more days off than normal. Her father didn't approve of her knowing Kevin, but he didn't try to stop her either. 

She heard her father then say, "Lady Cale is allowing him to join the school." When she nodded, she heard her father say, "Alright, then I'll let you give it a try, but if you get into any trouble, and he's the cause, I'm pulling you out of that school in a heartbeat. It's not that I don't trust you, but I have problems feeling he's not a trouble maker. You remember what he did to some of the dishes." 

Quickly, she defended her friend as she said, "He didn't mean to change the fine china into water. You had made him nervous. Plus, if he learns to control his power, he won't do that again. Would that be acceptable to you?" She watched him nod. She then said, "Then let's hope this school helps him, like I'm sure it will help me. Alright, Father." She and her father had clashed a few times, but the outcome came out in his favor most times. 

She smiled when she heard her father say, "Alright, but I expect to hear from Lord Cale in a week's time. I want to know he's keeping things from getting out of hand. I also wish to speak with him personally, not his wife, nor his bodyguards. Is that understood?" She nodded, but at least it was a win for her. She then headed out the door. Deep down, she hoped her father would not make her leave the school. She also hoped her father would some day respect her relationship with Kevin, especially since deep down she loved him. 

* * *

Clarice stepped out of the car at the same time Richard did. She was surprised that he had pulled out his Homburg for this, but she was aware of why he was wearing it. The bite Emplate gave him was deep, and it would take days for it to heal, even with the hyper healing that he and Yvette had. As they approached the palace, she heard Richard say, "Clarice, I'm going to go speak with King Edmund II. I want you to find Prince James. Just be careful, you know how he is with that water gun of his." 

She then understood his words. As bodyguard, she tended to wear a woman's suit. It also meant she wore a white blouse, a dark white that wasn't transparent like most other white blouses. She was also aware that the prince had been staring at her. She knew he wouldn't try to strike when she was with Richard or in the presence of the King, but now she was going in search of him. She looked at Richard and said, "You know he's going to try and shoot me with that water gun. He sees me as a walking target. He shoots all the women. It's so childish." 

As they entered the palace, she heard Richard say, "He's a teenager. Plus, if he had seen you from six years ago, he wouldn't need the water gun. I do believe it was after the trip to Japan that you changed your outfit." She nodded in agreement. Back then, she was a refugee from another timeline, one where she fought every day of her life. Now, she had a husband, a daughter, a home, and a job. She also dressed very conservatively. 

She nodded and said, "You're right, but I still think he's too childish. I hope you also warned Yvette about him. Better yet, maybe I should warn him about her. She might cut off his arm if he shoots her with his water gun." 

She watched as Richard nodded and then headed of to see the King. As he walked off, he said, "I think you better do that. Last thing we want is for the Prince to lose an arm." With that in mind, she started to search for the Prince. She was tempted to blink from room to room, but decided against it. She could blink from room to room, and wind up invading someone's privacy. She had to wait until she got a sign that he was somewhere in the castle. 

As she walked down the hall, she heard the sound of one of the ladies yelping in surprise. She had heard the sound often enough to know what had happened. She rounded a corner to see one of the maids, soaking wet. It meant one thing. The Prince was in the area. As she started to search the area, she shouted, "Prince James, where are you?" As she said those words, she wondered if she shouldn't have announced her presense.

* * *

Prince James moved from hiding spot to hiding spot in the large room. He looked on the room at the lady he had just shot with his water gun. He had to admit he was getting tired of shooting the hired help. Many looked the other way because he was the Prince, while others just looked at it like a harmless adolescent prank. He considered it more of improving his powers. Now he had the chance to get the target he'd been aiming for. He waited until he heard Clarice say, "Prince James, I know you are in here. You better step forward before I really have to hunt you down." 

He smiled at that thought. She'd walk right into his line of fire. Ever since he saw Lord Richard Cale's bodyguard, he had decided he had to shoot her with his water gun. He figured she was a mutant, in fact, her lavender skin gave that fact away. He could even tell she had a nice figure. The only time he never saw her with Cale was when she had to take a six month break. During that time, he had met her husband, Darrett. Part of him envied Darrett, for having married Clarice, but that part of him would be pacified soon. He moved to another spot and said, "I'm up here, Ms. Clarice." 

He looked towards the stairway that lead to the balcony he was hiding on, and saw her start to head up. As she came up the steps, he heard her say, "You better not have that water gun ready, or you'll be sorry." He almost giggled at that. He knew she wouldn't dare strike him. He was the Prince, and she was just a subject. He also didn't know what her power was, but he knew his power. Once the water was in the air, he could make it strike her. 

He then saw Clarice reach the top of the steps, and he smiled as she turned to face him. He quickly stood up and aimed his water gun right at her. He smiled as he said, "You're the only lady here I haven't hit, Ms. Clarice. I think it's finally your turn." He watched as she stopped and stood her ground. He thought that was very brave of her, especially as he fired the water gun. He watched as the water flew straight at her, but at the last second turned right around in the air and hit him instead of her. As he recovered from the strike, he simply said, "What happened?" 

He was surprised when he was turned around and was face to face with his father. He also saw Lord Cale standing next to him, with a slight grin on his face. He then heard his father say, "I see you've been up to your usual mischief, son. It's a good thing we found you before you made Ms. Clarice upset." He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling what happened was linked to Lord Cale. He was also aware that his father had something important to tell him.

* * *

Richard Cale looked down at the Prince, who was obviously surprised that his little water trick had been stopped. He had a feeling that the Prince was going to try to soak Clarice, and had planned to stop it. He stood behind the Prince the whole time Clarice was heading up to find him. In fact, he had used the Prince's water control powers against him. Richard smiled and said, "You know, Prince James, you should not use your powers to cause mischief. It is those kinds of things that cause fear and mistrust. In fact, that is why I'm starting a school for mutants. Your father has even suggested that you join the school." 

He watched as the Prince looked at him and said, "Would you be teaching me how to use my powers?" He nodded and the Prince started to smile. He then said, "Will there be other mutants like me there?" 

Richard nodded and said, "Yes, there will be other mutants there, however they won't have the same power you have. Not all mutants have the same power. As you are aware, my ability is to fully mimic other mutants, and I even have my wife's ability as well. Also, not only will I be teaching you, but so will my wife, Ms. Clarice and Mr. Darrett. How does that sound?" 

He watched as the Prince nodded in agreement and said, "I'll go get ready, Lord Cale. I'm looking forward to the school." He watched as the Prince ran off to where ever his room was. Richard had never been to the Prince's room, and he prefered to keep it that way. 

When the Prince was out of ear shot, he heard King Edmund II say, "I'm glad you reconsidered. I must admit I am puzzled why you decided to rush things. Did something happen last night that made you want to get this started." Richard just nodded and he heard the King say, "Is it something you can tell me about?" 

Richard just shook his head and said, "Not really, sire. However, I started thinking about my own children, and maybe this will also be good for them." It wasn't a total lie. He really didn't want to tell the King about Emplate, especially with his fears about Prince James falling into the hands of the 'Rippers'. 

"Well, whatever it was, I'm glad it made you decide to open a school. This will hopefully benefit many people out there. I also hope that whatever happened to your head heals soon." Richard was surprised at the King's comment. 

Richard looked over at the King and said, "Sire, how do you know something happened to my head?" 

He was startled when the King said, "Lord Cale, after all these years, I know you never wear a Homburg, unless it's a special occasion. Besides, even when you do wear it, you prefer to take it off as soon as possible. That tells me that you are a bit embarrassed by it. I trust it will be better soon. At the rate you are moving, your classes will start Monday, which is two days from now." 

Richard looked at the king and said, "Don't worry, Sire. By then, we will have a few more students, and a few more extra teachers." He then turned to Clarice and said, "Clarice, why don't you go get the car ready. I think it would be best if you drive back." He watched as she nodded and headed out to the car. Now all he had to do was wait for Prince James to arrive. 

* * *

Grimore sat in the corner as all the members of the Cale household met with the incoming students. Right now, there were only three of them, but he knew there would be more. He sat quietly as Richard said, "Right now, there are only a few of us here, and since all of us are mutants, I want you all to state your name, and your power. We will start with the students, and then each of the teachers. Tomorrow, more will be arriving, so we will got through this again." 

He watched as the one local boy stepped forward and said, "My name is Kevin Mitchel. I have the power to alter items to be made up of something entirely different." He saw Kevin demonstrated it by picking up a stick and changing it into something that smelled like chicken. He padded over to Kevin, and Kevin gave him the stick. When he bit into it, it indeed was chicken. He then heard Kevin say, "As you can tell, Lord Cale, I can even change non food items into food." 

He then heard the girl say, "My name is Amy Johnson. I have the power to project my voice from an alternate location. Just to demonstrate." He looked up, and soon he heard from the next room, "As you can tell, it sounds like my voice is coming from the next room, however, you see me standing in front of you. I can even make it happen in locations a great distance away." When the voice stopped, he padded over to the door to the next room, and saw that it was indeed empty. He then heard Amy say, "By the way, Lord Cale, my father wants a call from you after a week." 

He watched as Richard nodded in acknowledgement, and then he heard the Prince speak. "Well, I'm Prince Henry. I have the ability to manipulate water. I could redirect water to head any direction." Grimore looked at the Prince, wondering if he was about to do something, but nothing happened. Then he realized that there was no water in the room. 

Soon, he heard Darrett say, "Well, My name is Darrett Xavier Thomas. My power is to summon villainous characters that will serve me. Kevin has seen my power in effect." He saw the boy nod. It must have been a surprise to him. 

He then heard Clarice say, "I'm Clarice Ferguson Thomas. My power is to teleport, or create teleportation portals. It has come in very handy in the past." He watched as she disappeared from sight and reappeared behind the students and said, "Sort of easy to sneak up on people this way." He watched as all three of the kids jumped. 

Next, he heard Yvette say, "My name is Yvette Cassidy Cale. As students, you may call me Yvette. I'd prefer for you to call me Mrs. Cale, in public, but if there is a function, you may call me Lady Cale then. As for my powers, I can make my skin so tense, it is capable of cutting the hardest metal. I also have advanced healing abilities, and psionics." He knew Yvette wouldn't demonstrate her power, mainly due to the fact that her current outfit wouldn't survive such a change. 

He then heard Richard say, "As you know, I am Richard Cale Jr. My powers are to fully mimic a mutant, and gain their abilities and persona. I also permanently have Yvette's powers. Also, I'd like to introduce you all to three others, and share a very special secret with all of you. First, I'd like to introduce you to Richard Cale III and Ashley Cale. They are Yvette and my children. I'd also like to introduce you to Coleen Thomas, Darrett and Clarice's little girl." He watched as the three little children entered the room. 

Once the children were all present, he heard Kevin say, "I think I saw your children before, sir, but what's this secret." 

He watched as Richard looked at him, and saw everyone in turn look at him. Grimore walked to the center of the room, and looked at the new students. He knew this would be a shock, but it had to be done. He sat down and said, "Hello all, I'm Grimore, the family cat. As you can already tell, there is more to me than meets the eye." He watched as all the kids looked at him in shock. It was exactly the reaction he was expecting. He also saw a sense of awe on their faces. Over all, he knew they'd like the fact he could talk. It would be a good start for this new school. 

He then heard Richard say, "I think it's official. Welcome to the Cale Institute." That was what he knew would be the start of a new school. 

Chapter End 


	3. Old Friends, Old Foes

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start. ========================================== 

Old Friends, Old Foes 

Tasha Lewis was in her room when the phone rang. She wanted to answer it, but her father was home. Yesterday, when the phone had rang, her mother answered it. She had hoped they wouldn't have found out about it, but when a represenative for a mutant school called, it hit the fan. Both her parents treated her like she wasn't their child, but their servant. When she developed her mutant powers, her parents made sure she knew that using her powers on them would result in a severe punishment. In fact, it was because of her parents that she wanted to go to the school, just so she wouldn't be around them. She waited silently as she heard her father shout, "I don't care if claim to be the King, my girl is not attending a bloody mutant school. She's not a bloody mutant, and if any of you call here again, I'll press charges. Good-bye." She heard the phone slam down, and then heard him shout, "Tasha Erica Lewis, get your butt down here now." She knew that tone. When he used that tone of voice, it meant he was going to punish her, and when he punished her in that tone, she couldn't sit all night. She needed to get out of this place. Her parents made everyone think she was a problem child. Even the few friends she had at school didn't associate with her outside of school. 

She sighed and yelled down the steps, "Coming father." She didn't really want to head down there, but if she didn't, he'd come upstairs. However, she was planning to tempt fate. The school would be good for her. It would help her understand her power better. 

She picked up the suitcase, and slowly descended the steps. As she came down, she heard her father say, "That stupid bitch. She must have signed up for that school. She needs to learn her place is here, doing what we tell her to." Hearing those words hurt, but she knew her parents didn't have her best interests in mind. 

She then heard her mother say, "We are her parents. We know what's best, and what's best is that she uses her powers to help us . Besides, if she gets caught, we tell them she's evil and held us hostage. The anti-mutant groups will use this to take back their place as the correct view in the world." That hurt most. She decided now was the time. She quickly used her powers to blind her from her parent's view. She hoped it worked, and the time that they discovered she was gone, she was at the school. She quickly ran down the steps and ran out the door. 

This was it, she was getting out of the hell that was her home. As she ran down the street, she was glad. She was going someplace safe. Her thoughts were cut short, as she looked in shock to see the local bully walking down the street with a woman. She hid, but decided to do a quick scan of the woman's mind. Soon, she saw a brief image of Lord Cale, who's picture was in the news recently, with a bunch of others. She also saw the image of the local airport. Something related to Lord Cale was happening there, and who ever was there needed to be warned. Henry was a force to be either avoided, or handled with alot of force.

* * *

Quinn Taylor walked towards the airport next to Henry Edwards. It had taken Claudette five years to get things together, but they had finally done so. They were in England. Ever since what happened over five years ago, her boss, Claudette St. Croix, was plotting on when to strike against all her foes. The only problem with her plan was that Generation X had gone their seperate ways a month after her last defeat. However, not to long ago, she was surprised when Claudette said she knew when to strike. In fact, Claudette had instructed her to find Henry, and now they were waiting for Claudette next instructions. As they walked, she heard Henry say, "Do you seriously think I will be helpful to your employer? I know you said I would be, but is it true?" 

Quinn looked at the boy and nodded. "It's true. My employer believes your powers will be useful to our objectives. When I joined the group, we had been very successful. You know what our goal was when we started?" 

She watched as Henry nodded, and said, "I admit, I am curious." 

She smiled and said, "When we formed, our goal was to ruin both Frost Enterprises, and Paladin Technolgoies. You see, our leader has a bit of grudge against the two owners. She told me your ability would allow her to get her revenge, for her, and for people she knows." She saw a smile cross his face when she said that. Claudette had said he enjoyed mayhem. 

Before she could say anything else, she heard in her mind, Claudette's voice. [That's enough you two. Golden and I will be waiting for you to bring back good news. A plane will be arriving shortly with my sister and her two friends. That Darrett boy will also be there. Make this quick, and make sure I have at least one conscious prisoner. Also, feel free to kill my sister. With her gone, things will be better for the other siblings.] 

Quinn almost felt a wave of happiness, but it was not from the thought of the death of Monet that caused it. She inwardly frowned and said, [Are you with Golden right now?] She heard a girlish giggle from her boss and responded by saying, [We'll let you two be alone. Just be back in your special suit before your powers stop again.] She shook her head and looked at Henry. "Our employer must wear a special outfit to keep her powers. That all stems back to what happened years ago. As for right now, we are going after three people. Think you can handle them?" 

She watched as he nodded and said, "I can handle all of them. Besides, I don't think they will make a scene. I know the type. There's a girl in town that has a bad rap, but she's a good mutant. She avoids me like the plague. If she was evil, she'd be hanging with us as well." 

It was at that time that they had entered the airport. She walked over to the arrival board and wondered. If Richard was bringing in Generation X members, as Claudette suspected, he would bring them in through his company's jets. While she knew Richard had pass control of the company to his cousin, she knew he still owned it. She motioned Henry over and said, "Tell me, Henry, where would corporate jets land?" When he shruged, she noticed an african girl close to Henry's age head off in a direction. She inwardly smiled and said, "Henry, was that girl with a bad rap of African decent?" When he nodded, she smiled again and said, "Let's go. I think she's here to find our quarry as well." With that, they followed her, far enough back that they wouldn't be noticed, at least she hoped that.

* * *

Darrett Xavier Fergeson-Thomas stood in the terminal, waiting for the four expected people to arrive. He had been given the task of picking them up at the airport. Part of him wanted the task, since it meant seeing his 'father' again. He knew in all honesty that it was his 'father' in a different timeline, but they all understood that. He also knew when it was alright to let the term slip. Right now, in a public airport, it was not the right place to say it. Personally, he would have liked to have Clarice with him, but she and Yvette were helping the existing students get settled in. He also knew Richard was trying to get three other students. They had all heard what Grimore had said, and he also knew about the one that frustrated both Richard and Yvette. They were trying to reason with the parents of Tasha Lewis. Frankly, he was glad he wasn't there for Richard's call. He then noticed that the first plane in was unloading its passengers. He waited patiently, until he heard a female voice say, "Darrett, how are you doing?" 

He smiled when he saw Jubilation come through the door, followed by Everett and Monet. He smiled as they all approached, and said, "I'm doing well, and it's good to see you all. How was your trip here?" 

He watched as Everett smiled and said, "It was wonderful. Flying in a company jet means flying first class. Besides, we got a chance to catch up with Monet. Do you know what she's been up to with Gabe." 

He nodded and said, "Yes, I do. Richard and Gabe keep in touch. I hope all of you have everything with you. The less time we have to wait, the sooner we can get to the reason why you were all asked to come to England." 

He watched as Monet smiled and said, "I, as well as Everett and Jubilation have everything we will need with us. In fact, we are all ready to go. So, Darrett, we can head out of here and get to the reason we are all here." 

Darrett shook his head, and said, "No, not everyone has arrived yet. Richard told me there were four coming, and I only see three. Don't worry, because I know who we are waiting for. Once they are here, we will head to the castle." 

He glanced over at Jubilation, who looked upset, as she said, "Well, Darrett, who are we waiting for? Is it Angelo, Daria, Mondo, or Sean? I know who it won't be, but who is it?" 

Before he could respond to the question, he heard a female voice behind him say, "Excuse me." He turned and saw a teenage girl of African decent. He also noticed that a worried look was on her young face. Something made him feel sorry for her, being so young and so full of worries. 

He gave a friendly smile and said, "May I help you?" He could see a brief look of relief cross her face. 

"My name is Tasha Erica Lewis. I think someone you know spoke with my parents. I want to join the school you are starting." He realized at that moment who she was and what she was talking about. 

He then heard Monet say, "School? You mean Richard and Yvette are starting a school." When he nodded in response, he heard her say, "What prompted him to do this?" 

Darrett looked at her and said, "He'll tell you when we get there. Now we will have six people for when we go back to the school. Tasha is going to be one of the students." As he said that, he saw her smile, and then saw the worried look return to her face. Something was going to happen, and it was worrying him now.

* * *

When he saw Tasha Lewis approach the group he intended to attack, he knew she was going to warn them. He looked over at Quinn and said, "I take it those are the people we are after. It appears that good mutant I told you about found them first. Should I get ready to attack?" 

He watched as Quinn shook her head and said, "No. I want them to see you change. It will tell them how much trouble they are in. Now, I think it's time to approach them." He followed as she stepped away from their hiding spot and began to approach the group. As they neared, he could see a look of shock crossing their faces. He knew Tasha recognized him, although they had never actually met. He was sure the others recognized his friend. 

He wasn't surprised when he heard the asian girl say, "Q.T., what are you doing here?" Quinn had told him that they might call her that, but he honestly didn't care. All he knew was he was going to beat the living daylights out of these mutants. 

He heard Quinn say, "I'm guessing you are all surprised to see me. Well, I'm hear to help you to get where you're going. Claudette is anxious to see almost all of you." He saw them look at her in shock. Apparently they thought Claudette was not in any shape to cause trouble. He then noticed Quinn looked at the one african girl and said, "Also, my condolences on your loss Monet." 

He noticed the african girl looked shocked by that, and said with a slight German accent, "And what loss is that, because no loss exists." 

Henry heard Quinn laugh as she said, "It soon will. I was talking about the loss of your life. I doubt you will do any fighting, especially in a public airport. Henry, why don't you show them your better side." He took that as his signal to use his power. He focused on it, and soon he felt his body change. He grew taller, and more muscular. The only bad thing was that one side looked bulkier than the other, but he also knew it would take more force than an army would have to stop him. He looked at the group as Quinn said, "He lives up to his name, in a way." 

He heard the one guy say, "What's his name?" He saw the others start to gather together, like grouping together in a mass would scare him off. 

He smiled when Tasha said, "His name is Henry Edmund. I think he's referring to his names literary last names. A famous Doctor if I'm right." 

He then heard the other guy respond by saying, "Good grief. Don't tell me he has two personalities as well." It was clear to him that they realized how poetic his name and power were. They just figured he was a split personality, like the literary character. 

He smiled and started to advance as he said, "Nothing like that. Little Tasha there knows what I can do, and today, she's going to find out how powerful I am, since she's too wimpy to even use her powers to hurt people." He noticed a look of fear on her face. He had always figured she was too scared to fight back. He wondered if it was linked to her family, but he wasn't going to try and figure it out. Right now, he planned to beat all these good guys to an inch of their lives. However, there was one other thing he was wondering about. He wondered where the music he started to hear was coming from.

* * *

Davis Skinur stood in the doorway from the plane, and couldn't believe his eyes. Five years ago, he had helped his friend out by stopping Claudette and her group. Now, it appeared that her gang was still around, and with a new member. Now, he had to help those who would be his new friends, although he was aware it would take him some time to earn their trust. However, this would be a good first step. He reached into his travel bag and pulled out a special walkman he made two years ago. The incident five years ago made him change alot, even his taste in music. He started the CD he had in the walkman and he heard the tunes of Swan Lake. It would be perfect for what he had in mind, especially as the brute said to the others, "Now, let's make this quick and painful." 

Davis stepped through the door, and saw a cart they used to pull luggage by the desk near the door. It was just the thing he needed. He looked out at brute and shouted, "Hey Jerk, be careful because they just mopped that floor." He saw the brute look at him, some what upset that he dared to interupt the brute's fun. 

He then saw Quinn look in his direction, and saw a fury in her eyes. She yelled at the brute, "Kill him. He's the one who ruined things last time. Kill him and break every bone in his body." He watched as the brute started to turn, and smiled when the brute started to slip. 

Davis quickly grabbed the cart and gave it a shove in their direction. As it speed toward them, he just said, "Sorry you two can't stay, but it looks like you have a trip planned." As he said that, the cart slammed into the brute, and then into Quinn, and carried the two out of the airport. As they sped off, he walked over to the group and calmly said, "I guess my flight came in at the right time." 

He waited for one of them to respond. Deep down, he hoped they would all thank him, but he knew that wasn't likely. He had caused them all grief when he fought them as a duped slave of Apocolypse, but Richard forgave him. He actually had a feeling that they were trying to figure out why he was there. Soon he heard the one he knew as Jubilee say, "Why is Soundwave here, Darrett?" He noticed that the others gave the same questioning look to Darrett, but saw that the young girl looked at him in a bit of awe. 

He smiled when he heard Darrett say, "Davis was invited here by Richard. In fact, he arrived at the right time, wouldn't you all agree?" 

He watched then as the girl walked over to him and said, "Thank you, Mr. Davis. Henry was always a bully. You are the first person to have ever bested him." He felt a bit of pride at that. He was using his powers for good now. In fact, for the past two years, he was using it to help at Godiva's museum. 

He then heard the man he knew as Synch say, "Well, if Richard has faith in you, the least we can do is give you the same amount of faith. Darrett, I hope you have a car big enough for all of us." 

He watched as Darrett nodded and said, "Don't worry. Richard told me to pick you all up in style, so I have the limo. As for Richard's reasons for the invites, he will tell you when we all get there." He watched as Darrett then turned to the girl and said, "Are you ready to head to the school, Ms. Lewis?" 

That puzzled him, but he wasn't about to dwell on it. He saw her smile as she said, "Yes, sir. Anything to get away from the problems here. I hope it's not a long trip." He looked at her and realized that whatever that brute was, it was only one thing she was scared of in this area. He wondered what Richard had invited him into. 

* * *

Anne Smith sat in her room, reading one of her books. She was a science fiction buff, and it was even science fiction that helped her understand her mutant power. It seemed like something called spacial folding. She stopped reading when she heard a voice from downstairs say, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith, your daughter would do well at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. She could learn how to control her powers, and even learn how to use them to help people." She didn't recognize the voice, but she could tell he was natural British. 

She closed her book as another voice, a female with an American accent, from the southern part of the states, said, "It would benefit her. She could learn with other mutants, and learn from the best." 

She heard her mother then say, "Mr. Starsmore, Ms. Guthrie, how can you say that Xavier's school in the States would be good for my daughter? I've also received calls from the new Cale Institue. It's closer to home than any of Xavier's schools. Personally, I think my daughter would prefer it." She knew her mother was right. She had no desire to leave England. It was true that the school was in another part of the country, but that was better. To her knowledge, the 'Rippers' didn't get to far out of London, and unfortunately, her home was right on the outskirts. 

She then heard her father say, "Dear, I know our daughter would prefer it, but she does deserve the choice. I spoke with Lord Cale earlier today, and he said it would be good for her. However, Mr. Starsmore said the Xavier school is in America, and there are no 'Ripper's there. However, it is her choice, and I think she should tell us all." Her father was always good about that. Any decisions in the family were always by the majority. 

She quietly listened as she heard them approach the stairs. Her room was right at the top of the steps, but also with it's location, she heard people talking on the steps, no matter how softly they spoke. Soon, she heard the woman say, "Jono, did Professor Xavier know Richard was opening a school?" That puzzled her why these two people would wonder about that. 

She then heard the man say, "I have no idea, Paige. To be honest, since Richard felt Xavier didn't trust him, he's always been opposed to Xavier having a school in England. However, Professor Xavier has not said anything about apologizing to Richard. I think something prompted Richard to open a school, separate from Xavier." After she heard that, she knew that she wanted to go to the Cale Institue. Trust was also a big issue with her. 

Soon she heard the footsteps stop, which told her they were at her door. Before they could even turn the knob, she said aloud, "I've already made my choice. I going to the Cale Institue. I'll get my things later, Mom and Dad." With her last words, she activated her power. Soon, in front of her was the hazy image of the near by busstop, which she knew was the way her 'steps', as she called them, appeared. She stepped through and turned, seeing her parents and the two others enter the room. She closed the portal and turned, hoping the bus would arrive soon.

* * *

Thomas Jacobs stepped out of the local arcade with a handful of tickets. The owner liked it when he was there, because people saw him play the games of chance, and then forked in quid after quid of change, hoping to score big like him. In fact, the owner had started paying him to use his power there. He had a good payment arrangement set up. He got two pence for everyticket he won, and could keep as many as he wanted to trade in once a month. He usually used those tickets on gifts he could give his friends. In fact he was almost surprised to see his one friend, Anne Smith, standing at the bus stop. He walked over to the bus stop and said, "Hi Anne, what brings you out of your home? Going to the bookstore?" 

He watched as she turned to face him and said, "No, Thomas, I'm not heading to the bookstore. I'm heading to a mutant school. I want to learn how to control my power better. I'm surprised you aren't heading to the school." 

Part of him wanted to, but his power was allowing him to earn some money. He shook his head and said, "Maybe later, when I have some extra money. My folks really can't afford a special school for me. Right now, it's better to be home." 

He looked at her as she said, "Better, with the 'Rippers' lurking about? How can it be better. Look at the kidnappings and murders they have caused. This area isn't safe for mutants anymore." 

He shook his head and said, "Listen, they have never looked for me, or attacked me. You know why that is. Because I beat the odds. I hit any long shot that's out there. They can never capture me, because the moment they attempt it, I escape." He smiled with that statement. He had gotten out of many tight scrapes since he discovered his ability. 

He then saw her eyes go wide in fright, especially as she said, "Then I hope you can do that now. There is a group of them right over there." He turned to see a group of three 'Rippers' advancing towards them. What made it worse was that the one looked like one of them was their missing friend, Jack. 

Thomas's fears were confirmed when he heard the familiar 'Ripper' say, "Capture the girl. Lord Dark can use her powers. As for the boy, he will be more useful dead." The others started to advance, and he didn't want to find out how useful he was dead. 

He grabbed Anne's arm and said, "Come on, Anne. We need to get out of here. Follow me." He felt her follow, and they ran away from the 'Rippers', and down an alleyway. 

As they ran, they made a few sharp turns. He felt like they were about to escape, when he heard Anne say, "Oh no. It's a dead end. We're trapped. Maybe I should have gone to the Xavier school instead of the Cale Institue." He heard her start to cry, and also heard the footsteps of the 'Rippers' that were following them. 

He quickly looked back, and had a brainstorm. He turned to Anne and said, "Anne, have you seen pictures of Lord Cale's home. I wouldn't be surprised if that's where the school will be." When she nodded, he smiled and said, "Make a portal to the school then." He watched as the wall started to hazily form the image of the school, except that it had a car and a group of people in front of it. 

Soon, he heard Anne say, "It's ready. Let's go, and hurry." He nodded in agreement, and followed her into the portal. He felt in awe, since he had never traveled so far in one step before. He wondered what other things Anne could do with her power, and also decided school might be a good thing for him as well. 

* * *

Everett watched as the limo pulled into the courtyard of Richard's home. He had never seen Richard's home in England, but he was in awe. Even the Xavier school in America wasn't this large. He wondered how they could all live in that place without getting lost. He also looked at the others in the vehicle with him. Everyone else, except Tasha, was in awe. He could even see that Davis was in awe. He had reservations when he saw Davis at the airport. However, seeing Tasha believe he was a hero was more incentive that it was a good thing. Richard and Davis had patched up things five years ago. Maybe that meant the other members of Generation X could forgive him. He did know that it would be hard for Jubilation and Monet to forgive him, but he felt he could find it in himself to forgive Davis. He looked at Davis and said, "So, Davis, what have you been up to?" 

He felt both Jubilation and Monet stare at him, when Davis said, "Well, The past few years, I've been helping Godiva at her museum. You know that your two friends Mondo and Daria are going to get married later this year. They had asked me to be DJ at the reception." 

He heard Jubilation gasp as she said, "They are getting married. I can't believe it. Why didn't they tell any of us?" 

He saw Davis shrug as he said, "They wanted something small. Besides, Godiva and Kyuukai have their hands busy for their trip to Hawaii." He then saw a look of shock pass both Jubilation's and Monet's faces. 

He then heard Monet say, "Are you insinuating that those two are heading off to Hawaii to..." He watched as Davis nodded, and Monet just went, "Mon Deiu. I wonder if Richard even knows about that." 

He felt the car stop, and heard Darrett say, "You can ask him later. Right now, we should all get out of the car. The sooner we get in the door, the sooner you can find out why Richard asked you all here." He watched then as Darrett got out of the car and opened all the doors. As he got out of the limo, he looked around the courtyard. The place was huge, like it could house every member of Generation X and then some. 

He then heard Tasha say, "It's bigger than I thought it was. I can't wait until classes start." He glanced at her and then noticed that her attention was focused elsewhere. 

He turned when he heard his wife say, "What the hell is that?" He looked where he and the others were looking to see a hazy image of an alley, and two kids, a boy and girl, run through it. Before it disappeared, he saw the darkly garbed people in what appeared to be like gang colors enter view. 

They all ran over, and he heard the boy say, "Did we make it? Are we at the school?" 

He saw Darrett run over and say, "Yes, you're at the school. I take it you two want to enroll as well. Let's get you two inside, along with the others. We'll introduce you to all then, and also make sure you two are alright." 

He heard the one girl say, "Thank you. We're just out of breath, but we are glad to be here." He watched then as Darrett walked with them all to the door and knocked on it. Soon he saw it open, and saw the smiling face of Clarice Fergeson-Thomas. However, in that smile, he could see that she was also a bit stressed, and with all the talk of a school, he was wondering now, more than ever, what they were all getting into.

* * *

Clarice was so glad to see everyone had arrived, and was also surprised when she saw the three other kids. She looked back, not knowing where everyone was and said, "Richard, Yvette, the others are here, and three new kids. Better get everyone here." She then turned back to the door and said, "Everett, Jubilation, Monet, and Davis, please come in, and bring in the three others. I'm sorry this visit and such is so short notice." 

As they entered, she heard Jubiliation say, "Well, this had better be important. I can't always rush away from things. I'm Vice-President of the Chicago branch of Paladin Technologies. I don't get that many breaks." She was surprised, but she knew Jubilation was not a quitter. She had the drive to go far in life. 

She then heard Monet say, "Yes, and you very well know that Gabe always has a case crop up. I did tell you about the last case, didn't I?" She nodded, remembering all the details. In fact, Richard was about ready to go down, when Monet called saying it was resolved. 

She then heard Yvette say, "Don't worry, Richard will tell everyone why they are here, although all the kids here know why they are here." She turned to see Yvette had entered the room with Kevin and Amy. She then heard Yvette ask her, "Clarice, have you seen James? I can't find him anywhere." 

That worried her. She knew Yvette could locate the boy using her psychic powers, but also knew Yvette didn't want to resort to that. She shook her head and said, "No, and that has me worried. We know he's a prankster." 

She then heard Everett say, "Are you saying he's like Angelo and I were during our early days of school." Although she joined the school late, everyone told her of Everett and Angelo's antics. She nodded and she heard him say, "Maybe we should all be on our guard. Pranks can occur at any time." 

She watched as everyone started to move cautiously, keeping an eye out for anything. She then noticed that not everyone was in the door. She looked at the young African girl and said, "Why aren't you coming in? You were invited inside. Please come in." 

She was startled when the girl shook her head and said, "Not yet. The buckets are about to tip over. I don't want to end up soaked." She turned around to look over the room. 

As she looked, she saw two buckets start to tip over out of the one upper level doorway, far from the central stairwell of the room. She was not surprised like the others that the water started to fly out of the buckets and into the main room. In fact, as the water neared them all, the only thing she could do was shout, "Prince James, you better stop that water before any of us get hit." She kept her eyes on the water, and watched as it started to slow down.

* * *

Richard Cale had seen what Prince James was planning from the start. He had seen the Prince take the buckets while he made some of the calls to parents. Some had been hellbent on not letting their kids attend, while others asked for some time to think. Those were now farthest from his mind, unlike the hat he was wearing. When he stood behind James and saw the water in the air, he knew what had to be done. He quickly used James' power and made the water fly out the window. When James turned, Richard said, "Tell me James, do you honestly want to make Lady Cale upset by drenching her. You haven't seen here upset." He tensed up his hand and said, "Let's just say when she's mad, she gets to the point. Now, get down to the hall, we have some introductions to do, and also the reason why I opened the school." 

He watched as the Prince nodded and said, "Yes, Lord Cale." He watched as the boy bounded down the stairs, and he also noticed a young girl of African decent finally enter the castle. 

As he headed down the steps, he heard Davis shout, "Hey Rich, how are you? Why the invite?" 

Richard just smiled and said, "In due time, let's just make some introductions, ok?" He saw Davis nod and he continued, "First, I want to introduce the three kids here. They are Kevin Mitchel, Amy Johnson, and Prince James. They are all mutants, each with unique gifts. Before I introduce all the people to the kids, can I know who you three kids are?" 

When he motioned to the three, he saw the boy come forward and say, "My name is Thomas Jacobs, and I can beat the odds. I can basically make the most improbable things happen." Rich was stunned at that, but also wondered if the boy had used his gift to help himself. 

He then heard the girl next to Thomas say, "My name is Anne Smith, and as best I can explain it, I can fold space. It sounds like something out of science-fiction, but it's the truth." He knew what she was talking about, and nodded. 

He then saw the African girl approach him, and she said, "My name is Tasha Lewis. I think you know what my abilities are." He inwardly smiled, since he had spoken with her father earlier. Something told him that her family life wasn't happy, but he was not going to worry her, or mention it to everyone else. 

He then motioned to everyone and said, "Well, I'll make this as quick as possible, since I want the kids here already to help the others settle in. The four people who Darrett brought here are Everett Thomas, Jubilation Thomas, Davis Skinur, and Monet St. Croix. They attended school with Clarice, Darrett, Yvette and myself. And I hope they will help in the education of your powers. There are many reasons you need to learn to control your powers, but you must also be made aware of the risks to your powers as well." He saw a shocked look on all their faces. He knew why. He was asking them to give up their lives to teach at a school. He could even see some of them were upset, especially Jubilation, who had the most to give up. 

He then heard Monet say, "Richard, why should we give up our lives, and teach here? Surely there are other people who can teach here. Maybe you can sort things out with Professor Xavier." 

He shook his head and said, "I have a good reason for asking you four. Only you four can help these kids with what they may face. I don't think words will make it any clearer, however I will show you the reason." With that, he took off the Homburg he had been wearing, and revealed the scar on his forehead. He knew it would soon be gone, but it was the thing that needed to get his point across. 

He heard everyone gasp, including the kids. He then heard Everett say, "That can't be what I think it is." 

Richard nodded and said, "Yes it is. He is back, and these kids need to know how to handle themselves if he attacks them. They need to know how to protect themselves from Emplate." He saw the looks of his friends become grimfaced. He could now tell they were going to help. Each one had known of Emplate, and knew how dangerous Emplate was, but they had also survived their encounters with Emplate. Richard then asked again, "Will you help me educate the next generation of mutants?" He saw everyone nod. Now he knew the Cale Institue would do well. He also started to wonder if he should patch things up with Charles Xavier. 

Chapter End 


	4. Settling In

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start. ========================================== 

Chapter 4: Settling In 

Amy Johnson lead the way up to the girls' rooms. She was glad two more girls had come to the Cale Institue. She thought it would be very awkward being the only girl at the school. As she lead the way, she said, "Up here is where the girls will be roomed. There are eight rooms up here. Right now, we each get a room. Lord Cale had said that we might have to have roommates later on. I hope everyone is happy with their arrangements. Lady Cale did say there are a few ground rules." 

She watched as both girl looked at her, and heard Anne Smith say, "What rules are those?" 

She smiled and said, "Well, Lady Cale, I mean Yvette, since she'd rather be called Yvette, said that no visitors of the opposite sex are allowed in rooms after ten. That was agreed to by all the others. Also, no using your powers against other students, or teachers, unless we are training. Also, no phone calls after nine, except on weekends. It's basically typical school rules." She then saw movement at the end of the hall, and remembered another reason the rules were set up. She saw the children of the Cale's and their bodyguards. All three kids were still very young, Richard Cale III being four going on five. Amy then turned to see Tasha Lewis, looking around nervously. She looked at her and said, "Tasha, is something wrong?" 

She watched as Tasha fidgeted for a moment and said "I think I need to speak with Lord Cale for a moment. It's about my family, and I think I should speak to him about it." 

She nodded and said, "Is it something you can tell us as well, or is it something you don't want to share?" She could tell something about Tasha's family worried her, but wasn't sure what it was. She then noticed the phone in the hall and said, "Listen Tasha, if you need to call your parents, you can use the phone right here." 

She watched as Tasha shook her head and said, "No. I don't need to call them. I just think I need to talk to Lord Cale about it. It's sort of delicate." She started to wonder about the whole situation. She knew that Richard Cale had been a bit flustered before the others arrived. She wondered if it had anything to do with Tasha, especially with the way she was acting. 

She then heard Anne say, "I remember that he wanted to speak with the other teachers. I think he took them to the room outside his office. Maybe they are still there." 

She watched as Tasha nodded and said, "Thanks. We'll talk more when I get back." She then saw Tasha run off in the direction they had come from. 

When Tasha was clear, she turned to Anne and said. "You know, I think she's hiding something. I think she has a secret she's afraid to tell us." She saw Anne nod, and then noticed that Anne was looking over at the phone. She then wondered if Anne had told her parents about her arrival at the school.

* * *

Anne glanced over at the phone in the hall. She still had to let her parents know she had gotten to the school alright. She knew her parent would be worried, especially since she left the house without even speaking to the representatives of Xavier's school. She turned to Amy and said, "Amy, do you mind if I call my parents? They need to know I'm here safe and sound." 

She watched as Amy stepped back and said, "Go right ahead. I'll step back and let you talk in private." She nodded and dialed her home number. Soon she heard the phone ring. She hoped her parents would answer. 

Soon, she heard her mother answer the phone. She heard a slight bit of worry in her mother's voice, as she said, "Smith residence." 

Anne smiled and said, "Mother, it's Anne. I'm at the Cale Institue. I got here all right. I hope you weren't too worried." 

She then heard her mother say, "I have been worried. There was a 'Ripper' attack in town. I thought they had captured you. I'm glad you are alright. When you had left, your father headed out to find you. The people from Xavier's offered to help, but he told them no. He said he had seen a group of 'Rippers' run down an alley. I was afraid they were after you." 

She didn't want to confirm her mother's fears. She calmed herself down and said, "No, I was on a bus to the school not long after I left the house. I guess I was lucky to have missed it." She almost let out a small laugh at her own little joke. It had been Thomas' luck that had saved them. She then said, "I'm going to be staying here, Mother, so I'd appreciate it if you sent some of my stuff here." 

She heard her mother happily say, "Alright. I'm just glad you are safe. I hope you plan to keep in touch with us. You are our pride and joy." She smiled when she heard that. 

Anne replied, "Don't worry, Mother. There are other mutants here. In fact, all the teachers are mutants, and they know how to take care of people. I think they've had some experience in the area of protecting mutants." She heard her mother chuckle at that. It was no secret that years ago, mutant hatred was more popular that mutant tolerance. In fact, England was one of most mutant tolerant countries. She also knew that Lord Cale had gone to school in America. 

She then heard her mother say, "I know. Lord Cale is always looking out for the people. He's not going to let anyone be hurt. I just want you to do your best. Now you have a good evening, and enjoy your classes." She then heard her mother hang up the phone. She was glad her mother wasn't worried anymore, but she didn't feel right lying to her about the 'Ripper' attack. 

When she hung up the phone, she turned to Amy, but realized three children were standing in front of her, looking up at her. Before she could ask, she heard Amy say, "You didn't get to meet them earlier. The boy is Richard Cale III, the young girl with lavender skin is Joleen Fergeson-Thomas, and the youngest girl is Ashley Cale. They live here, as well as the others." Now she understood why the kids were there. The castle was their home. 

Before she could respond, she heard Richard Cale III say, "Did my fathers show you what the monster did?" She quickly realized that the boy was talking about the scar on his forehead. She then realized what had prompted the school to start. Lord Cale must have wanted to save his children, especially from the 'Rippers.' 

* * *

Thomas Jacobs walked with Kevin Mitchel and Prince James as they headed to the rooms for all the guys. As they walked, he heard Kevin say to him, "So Thomas, how did you find out about the school? Did you sign up for it?" 

He shook his head and said, "Not really. I was actually using my power to earn some extra money. My plan was to save up enough money to go to a school like this, but Anne and I sort of got thrust here together. She was planning on coming here. However, now that I'm here, and since what happened while we got here, I was thinking about staying. Besides, one of the teachers looks like one of the X-Men, at least from years ago." 

He then heard Prince James say, "I don't think any X-Men would be here, since Lord Cale doesn't trust Professor Xavier. He respects Xavier's dream, but he does not trust Professor Xavier. It's kind of odd since Lord Cale attended the Xavier School that was in Massachucetts." 

Thomas looked at James and said, "You know, that sounds kind of odd. I know Lord Cale is all for mutants and humans coexisting, but a lot of people view Xavier's X-Men as the protectors of that dream. Why would he not trust them?" 

He then heard Kevin say, "It all stems from Xavier apparently not trusting Lord Cale. Lady Cale told me about it yesterday. I don't know all the details, but she did mention that Lord Cale found out about Xavier's lack of trust. In fact, I think the lack of trust worried him." 

Just the mention of the word made Thomas remember that his mother must be very worried about him. He noticed the phone on the table and said, "Can we talk more about this later? I should give my mother a call. She's probably worried sick about me." He saw both the guys nod, and then he went to the phone. He quickly dialed his home phone, and waited for his mother to pick up. 

He was a bit disappointed when he heard his mother's voice say, "You've reached the Jacob's residence. We are unavailable for the phone right now. Please leave a message, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible." 

He was a bit crestfallen, but remembered that his mother had to work two jobs some days. She and his step-father couldn't afford to pay all the bills with just one job each. Of course, when his father divorced his mother, he somehow made off with all the money, and made it look like he was broke. He also wondered if they would let him stay at the school for free. When he heard the beep, he said, "Hi, it's me. I wanted to let you all know I'm alright. I'm up at the Cale Institute. I'm going to be here for a bit. I know we can't afford it right now, but I think they are looking for volenteers for the school. I'll have one of the teachers call you. Take care." He hung up the phone, and felt something against his legs. He turned to his left, and saw nothing. He then looked at the other guys and said, "That was odd. I thought I felt something brush against my leg." 

He saw both the guys smile, as Kevin said, "That would be Grimore. I think you're in for a surprise with him." He heard a sound, and turned to see that to the right of the phone sat a cat. He felt his heart stop, knowing that the last thing he wanted to see was a cat.

* * *

Prince James almost laughed aloud when he saw Thomas jump. He knew people were going to have a reaction to meeting Grimore. He watched as the cat looked at Thomas. He saw Kevin chuckle, and then said, "I think Grimore wants to say hello to you, Thomas." 

He watched as Thomas started to step back as he said, "I didn't know there was a cat here. I'm allergic to cats. Whenever I'm around one, I start sneezing and going into shock." 

This had James puzzled. Grimore had been around Thomas all the time he was on the phone. If he was allergic as he said, then he would have reacted earlier. He then thought about Grimore, and remembered how unusual Grimore was. He smiled and said, "Well, that might be because Grimore is not your ordinary cat." 

He watched Thomas face him and say, "What do you mean he's not an ordinary cat?" 

He then heard Kevin say, "Exactly what he means. Grimore is not your average run of the mill tabby, but don't take our word for it." He now knew what Kevin was doing. He was trying to set things up for Grimore to reveal the big news. 

He watched as Thomas turned to face Kevin and said, "Whose word should I take then, the cat's?" 

He watched as Grimore looked at Thomas and said, "Exactly, young Thomas." He watched as Thomas turned to face Grimore in shock, as Grimore then said, "I may look and act like a cat, but I'm not an ordinary cat. In fact, my own powers allow me to keeping your allergies from happening. As for my speaking to you, something happened five years ago that allows everyone to understand me. However, if you do have an issue with cats, I know someone you may not like." 

He saw Thomas step back again, as he looked at both himself and Kevin as he said, "That cat is really talking, and allowing me to not be sick?" When they both nodded, he heard Thomas say to Grimore, "Do you mind if I pet you? My allergy always stopped me from doing that." He saw Grimore nod, and then saw Kevin do as he had asked. As James watched, he heard Grimore purr with content. 

When he was done, he heard Grimore say, "Welcome to the school, Thomas. I know you will do well here." He watched as Grimore jumped off the table and headed down the hall. 

When Grimore was out of sight, he turned to Thomas and said, "Looks like good things are in your future. From what we've learned, Grimore's words usually mean alot. You know, we should all get ready. I think Lord Cale said we are learning more about our powers tomorrow." 

He then heard Kevin say, "I can't wait. I need to learn how to control my powers better." He then saw Kevin head into the room that was his. He then heard Kevin say, "Night all. See you all in the morning." He then saw Kevin's door close. He saw Thomas follow the example and do the same. He then entered his room, and thought about what his new school life was like. 

* * *

Jubilation Thomas was still in shock at what Richard had said earlier in the evening. Now that it was just the eight of them in the room, and she wasn't totally sure about one of them. She looked over at Richard, who was seated in a chair, next to Yvette, and said, "So the whole reason you asked us all here was because Emplate returned and attacked you?" 

She noticed Richard nodded, but it was Yvette who said, "He did more than attack Richard. He was terrorizing our son. He's also heading the criminal group known as 'Rippers'. We know that they are Emplates." 

That news startled her more. She remembered the day when Emplate was sent away. His attack had ruined Darrett and Clarice's wedding day. However, it did remind her of something. Bishop had remarked about the Emplate war starting with an arrival through a portal. She wanted to ask about that, but she heard Monet say, "That's why Gabe sent those books with me. He must have had a feeling that Marius was back." 

She then heard Clarice say, "I wouldn't be surprised. All of Gabe's family had latent psychic abilities, so I'm not surprised that he picked up on Emplate's return. Ever since we got here, we've been researching everything the families looked into." Jubilation was impressed. When they had all first met Clarice, she had been ready to jump into a situation. Now, with the responsibilities she had, she was researching and preparing for anything. 

It was then she heard Davis say, "Richard, I know you asked all of them here because of Emplate, but I know nothing about him. Why in the world did you ask me here?" She watched him look around the room, however she felt a chill when he gazed at Monet last. It was as if he was attracted to Monet. 

It was then she heard Richard say, "I think you got your answer at the airport, at least I'm guessing you had an encounter at the airport." 

She then heard her husband, Everett, say, "You had a feeling Claudette was back. We were attacked by Quinn, and some other guy. That's why you want all of us to teach here. That's why you called all of us here." 

She watched as Richard nodded and said, "Yes, Everett. I'm asking all of you to teach here I know you haven't all formally agreed to, but right now, you are the only four I trust. I know you have lives back home, but will you teach here?" 

Jubilation was stunned at Richard's request. Before, she nodded to give the kids in the room some faith that they would, but she wasn't sure she could. She looked at Richard and said, "Richard, I'm Vice-President of the Chicago branch of Paladin Technologies. How can I walk away from that? I worked hard to get that position. I don't want to give up all that work now. It's a lot to give up." 

She then heard Yvette say, "Richard and I are prepared to give you all you need to help. If you want to keep up with your jobs, we'll give you the ability to do so." Hearing that gave her some hope, but she wasn't totally sure about it. 

She realized she didn't have to think about it as she heard Everett say, "We'll help you, Richard. Who better to teach them about Emplate and being a mutant than us. Besides, if things are as bad as you think they are, they will need all our help." She glanced over at Everett and wondered why he volunteered her help. She planned to talk to him later about it.

* * *

Monet St. Croix watched as Everett and Jubilation agreed to stay and help. She could tell Jubilation was not totally happy with the choice, but she could understand part of the reasons why. Jubilation was going to be giving up the most, now that she was Vice-President. There was also the fact that her brother and sister were back. Both were causing trouble now, or at least starting to cause problems again. However, the big reason had to be that Davis Skinur was with them. She remembered what Davis had done to Jubilation the first time they encountered him. She did know how she felt. If Marius was back, she was going to be there to help stop him. She turned to Richard and said, "I'll teach as well. Besides, you know there will be more they will have to deal with than Marius. You are aware that mutants might not be the only problems they have to deal with." 

She watched Richard nod as he said, "You are right about that. We will have to deal with both natural and supernatural problems. I just hope we can keep the kids from getting into too much danger." 

She heard Darrett say, "Richard, you know that if they are like we were in school, they won't stay out of trouble. Even our innocent trip to Japan turned into an adventure. We may try to keep them out of trouble, but it will come to them." She watched as everyone nodded in agreement. Even she couldn't stay out of trouble, but that was because of her sister. 

She was almost alarmed when Davis said, "Well, Richard, I'll help as well. Besides, I still have alot to make up for." This had distressed her. It was true that Davis helped them fend of Claudette's minions, but she still didn't fully trust him. 

Monet turned to Richard and said, "Richard, why did you ask Davis here? We all know his history. How can you be sure we can trust him?" She looked over and saw Davis had lowered his head. She did see a look of regret cross his face. She wondered if Davis did feel sorry about his past. 

She then heard Yvette say, "Davis turned over a new leaf since long ago, Monet. If you remember, he saved both our lives, and stopped your sister. I know it's been five years since then, but Richard and I know he's been changing his ways. He works at Godiva's museum now. She trusts him, we trust him. Besides, if he thinks it's a way to make up for his sins, who are we to stop him?" 

Monet knew Yvette had a point. She was about to say something when she heard a knock at the closed door. She looked over at the door as she heard the voice of Tasha Lewis say, "Excuse me, Lord Cale, but can I speak with you for a moment?" 

She watched as Richard got up and headed over to the door and opened it. She saw him motion her into the room, as he said, "Certainly Tasha, the other teachers and myself were just talking about the school, and what they will be handling here. Is there something important you wanted to talk about?" She could see the girl was nervous about something. Inwardly, she hopped that Tasha had not heard her outburst, since Tasha saw Davis save them. Now she was feeling sorry about her outburst.

* * *

Tasha Lewis looked around the room at all the other teachers. She could sense some of the teachers were bothered about something, but she didn't want to pry. She had to talk with Lord Cale. The more she stepped into the room, the more she thought she was interupting something. After a moment, she heard Lady Cale say, "Tasha, did you think you were interupting something?" 

She nodded and said, "Yes, but I do need to talk to Lord Cale. It's something I'd rather keep quiet right now, but something rather important." She didn't want to mention to everyone about her parents. 

She watched as Lord Cale nodded and said, "Alright, Tasha. Just step into my office, and we'll talk in private." She nodded and started to walk to the door that lead to Lord Cale's office. 

As she headed to the door, she looked over all the teachers, and eventually turned to the man that save them at the airport. "I wanted to thank you again for stopping Henry. I never thought anyone could defeat him." She noticed that the man seemed a little bit nervous about that. 

She then heard the one man of African decent say, "Don't mind him, Tasha. Davis is just nervous being here in England. He's lived most of his life in the states. He just needs some time to adjust." She noticed Davis had nodded. She may not have been the best psi in the world, but she knew that wasn't it. There was something else, but she couldn't latch onto it. 

She then heard Davis say, "It's going to take me some time to get used to the time change. I've never been out of the states before. Everyone else here has, so they are used to the time change. Maybe all I need is a good night's rest." 

She then entered Lord Cale's office, and heard him say to Davis, "I think you have a good idea there. Darrett, Clarice and Yvette, why don't you show the others to their rooms. I want the kids' first class to be one where they learn about their powers. I'll set it up to be a one on one, but two of them with have two teachers. At the end of the week, we will have another day like that, but with different pairings. During the week, we will have normal classes, so I want you all to think about what topics you want to teach. Everyone got that." 

She then heard one woman ask, "Richard, do you want us to use...." 

Before she could hear the woman finish, she heard Richard say, "No Jubilation. No codenames of any kind. I'm teaching kids here. This school will not be like Xavier's. Is that understood?" Tasha started to wonder why Lord Cale didn't want the school to be thought to be like Xavier's. She inwardly decided she might want to ask Lord Cale about that. She then heard everyone leaving the previous room, and she watched as Lord Cale entered the room. As he entered, she heard Lord Cale say, "Have a seat, Tasha, and feel free to address me as Richard. I'd rather all of you kids think of the school as an extended happy family." 

She smiled at that, and said, "Thank you, Lord...I mean Richard." A happy family was one thing she never had, and it felt good to be part of a happy family. She walked over to the chair in front of his desk and sat down, and she watched as he sat in the chair behind the desk. Now all she had to do was tell him about the hell that was her family.

* * *

Richard Cale sat in the chair behind the desk, and allowed his powers to extend. In the years since he left the school in Snow Valley, he had gained some control over the range of his powers. Now, he could extend radius of his power, and retract it the same way. As a practice, he always kept his powers limited to one foot around him, but now he extended it to the range it was at before he learned to control it. He already knew that Tasha was a psi, but he could also sense the bad life she had had. He looked at her and said, "Alright Tasha, what is it you wish to talk about?" 

He had a feeling what the topic would be, but he wanted her to say it. He wasn't disappointed when she said, "Sir, I don't want you to tell my parents I'm here. If you do, they will come and take me home. They want to control me. They treat me like a servent. They even made everyone in town think I was a bad kid. I was hoping that when you called, I would be the one who answered the phone." 

Richard sat back and said, "So that's why your father acted like you weren't a mutant. It threatens his hold on you and would mean you can get away from him." When he saw her shake her head, he knew he was wrong. He looked at her and said, "There's more?" 

He watched as she nodded and said, "My parents knew I was a mutant. They were planning to make me use my powers to do things to help them. They wanted me to be their criminal, and if I was caught, they would claim I was controlling them." He saw tears welling up in her eyes. He got up and walked over to her chair as she said, "They were planning to hand me over to anti-mutant people if I was caught. What kind of parent would do that to their own daughter?" 

He brought himself down to look her face to face and said, "I don't know. However, I'm going to try and help you by allowing you to stay here. I'm also going to called the police in your home town, explaining the situation as best I can. Maybe I can give you some peace of mind." 

He saw here look straight at him, with hope in her eyes. "Are you sure you can?" 

He nodded and reached for the phone. "I think so. This school is in your best interest, and it's obvoius to me that you aren't lying." He started to dial the phone number for the police in her home town. 

Richard then heard her say, "Thank you, Lord Cale." 

Soon he heard an officer answer the phone by saying, "Constable Griffin speaking." 

Richard readied himself and said, "Constable, this is Lord Cale. I have a child here that has enrolled in my school. After speaking with her, I have reason to believe that her parents have been trying to control her. She is afraid of her own parents." 

He heard the constable gasp as he said, "That's not right. I know there are some problem children here in town, but something about some of them is not right. I'll have one of the other officers look into it right away. Can you give me a family name?" 

Richard calmly said, "The girl's name is Tasha Lewis." He heard the officer gasp, but he just said, "I take it you know the name. She's the one who's afraid of her parents. She's a good kid." 

He heard the officer say, "That's not what her parents have been saying. They called us, telling us to lock her up if we find her. They said they want her to learn a lesson for running away and causing trouble. If what you say is true, then it's best you keep her there. I'll wait a while before I tell them, but give her sanctuary." 

Richard nodded and said, "I agree. Please keep me posted on the situation. I want her to be safe here at the school." He hung up the phone after the officer agreed and turned to Tasha and said, "Alright, as of right now, Tasha, you have sanctuary at the school until there is no threat from your parents Now, have a good night's rest. I want you to be well rested for your mutant power trainng sessions" He watched her as she got up and exited the room. He could tell just by how she walked, that a great weight had been lifted off her shoulder, even though it was only temporary. Deep down, he knew he would eventually have to deal with Mr. Lewis face to face. 

* * *

Everett Thomas walked next to his wife down the hall where some of the bedrooms were. He had been surprised by how many private rooms were in the Cale household. From what he could tell, Richard could have at least another dozen students there, and even two more teachers for each student. They had just left Monet at the room that was set aside for her, and now, Clarice and Darrett were showing them to their room. As they walked, he said to Darrett, "So, how has life been for you two since the last we spoke. I heard you two had a kid." 

He heard Darrett laugh as he said, "Yes, you have a granddaughter. I know she wasn't around when the others were introduced, but you'll see her soon. Knowing her, she is off with the other little ones." He then realized that they hadn't seen either of Richard and Yvette's kids as well. 

He then heard Clarice say, "Speaking of children, when are you two going to have children. Or have you been too busy with your jobs?" He knew what Clarice was hinting at. Every time they wrote, they had told of Jubilation's promotions. Deep down, he hoped this time away from Chicago would help them relax, and focus on starting a family. However, when he learned that Richard was starting a school, he knew it was the right thing to do to help out. 

He then heard his wife say, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that tonight." He could tell by her tone that she wasn't exactly happy with things, but she wasn't totally upset either. 

He then heard Darrett say, "Here's your room. Clarice and I will be right down the hall. Richard and Yvette are in a different hall all together. Right now, I think you two need to talk about something. We'll talk with you in the morning, alright?" 

He nodded and then went in the room with Jubilation. When he closed the door, he turned to her and said, "What's wrong, hun? Are you upset about this whole turn of events?" 

He watched as she nodded and said, "Yes I am. I'm upset that we are throwing away our jobs to teach a school. I understand why Richard and Yvette asked us here, but why didn't you ask me if I was alright with it?" 

He looked down for a moment. He was sorry he didn't really ask her what she wanted, but with the fact that Emplate was back made him decide what was best. He looked up at her and said, "I know I should have thought about it more, but I was also sure that Richard would do all he could to make sure you could still do your job back home. Also, what if Emplate had returned in Chicago? Do you think Richard would have dropped everything to come to our aid. We were teammates, remember?" 

He watched as she nodded her head and said, "I remember. I'll give Richard the benefit of a doubt. I just hope this doesn't become more than I can handle. Remember, the company is in Chicago, and now we are in England. The time difference alone will be enough to mess things up. It's just with all the things here, I have a bad feeling that things are just going to get more and more complicated. However, I guess that is the life of a mutant, huh." He nodded in agreement and gave her a hug. He knew she would adjust to this change, and he was sure she could work it out. It was the one thing that made Jubilation the girl he fell in love with. She could adapt to any situation. Now, he just wondered what surprises tomorrow would bring. 

* * *

Davis Skinur followed Yvette down the hall to the room he was staying in. He had a feeling it wouldn't be far from Richard and Yvette's room. As they walked, he said to Yvette, "Do you think I'm going to be able to fit in? I mean, given my history with Generation X" 

He watched as Yvette stopped and turned to face him. "Do you remember the first time we met, Davis?" He nodded, remembering that he was still being manipulated by Apocalypse at that time. He then heard her say, "At that time, you had tried to kill me. Many months later, you saved my life, Monet's life, and Richard's life. In that time, I learned you weren't an evil man. I also know my husband was very afraid of the man you were, and was obviously glad when the man he knew returned. If Richard and I can look past your sins, the others can as well." 

He sighed with that. He then said, "I was so mixed up all those years ago. I'm glad you two forgave me. I just hope the others do. Do you mind if I share something with you, Yvette?" 

He watched as she nodded and said, "You may, but I've been catching some things off you. I guess you never really knew I had psi-skills." 

He was surprised by that, but if she was spying on him, he couldn't blame her. He looked at the floor and said, "I'll level with you, Yvette. After our first encounter and all that, I think I was starting to have feelings for Monet. I look back at that time, and I couldn't believe some of the things I wanted to do to her. Do you think, if she forgives me, that there may be a shot of a relationship?" 

Davis watched as Yvette stopped and said, "To be honest, Davis, I'm not sure. However, the Monet you met, and the Monet you saved are two different girls. The one you met had some extra baggage, however as you know, you handed that extra baggage her nastiest defeat." 

He chuckled at that, and said, "I did do that. I'm just surprised she's still active. She must have found some way to regain her powers, and deal with her affliction. I'm glad you didn't get that fate. Richard always wanted to have a family." 

He was almost surprised when he heard Richard say, "You're right about that, Davis. I'm so glad you helped secure that dream." He turned to see Richard walk up behind then, and saw Richard's cat following right behind him. He then heard Richard say, "Davis, you will fit in. I know your powers will help the students learn. I also know you can help keep them safe." 

He was glad that Richard had faith in him. He smiled and said, "I won't let you down. I plan to show that I am the good person I was before all the unfortunate things happened. Besides, I want to prove I'm no longer that dark person any more." He then noticed he was right outside his room door. He looked back at his friends and said, "Anything else I should know about things?" 

He watched as the cat looked at him, and start to purr. He then heard Yvette say, "Well, I think you should know Grimore has given you a paws up. Also, be ready for anything unusual. Richard's family has always had to deal with the strange and unusual." 

He wanted to ask how strange things would get, but decided not to. He looked down at the cat, and then at Richard and said, "I'll be ready for anything. I've got alot to work for here, Richard, and I won't fail you." He then headed into his room, and closed the door. He walked over to the bed, and sat on it. As he sat there, he wondered how much he would have to do to prove to Monet that he was a good man. 

Chapter End. 


	5. First Sessions

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start. ========================================== 

Chapter 5: First Sessions 

Yvette Cale walked to the main meeting room with her husband. As they walked, she looked over at the clipboard he was carrying. She hadn't looked at it, but she knew the training assignments were on it. As they neared the room, she said in their mind link, {My love, are any of us being left out, or did you have us double up with some of the students?} 

She heard him respond the same way. {I have everyone involved. However, I still want to be careful when it comes to the psychic classes. Right now, we don't need to be telling our pasts to everyone. I also plan to give everyone some time to focus on their powers, without running the risk of overlapping sessions.} 

As they entered the room, they saw everyone else had assembled. She could tell that Everett, Jubilation and Davis looked a bit exhausted. Their bodies were most likely not used to the time zone yet. She wondered if Richard had taken that into account. She also saw that the kids all looked wide awake. She saw that Jubilation yawned as she said, "I hope that we don't have to start right away. I don't think we'll be ready to teach just yet." 

She heard Richard say, "Don't worry. When I set up the schedule, I took how some of you weren't used to the time change yet. Gather round so I can tell you all your assignments." She watched as everyone got near to them. She then heard her husband say, "Each of the students will have a session in a different room in the school. I'll let each set of teachers decide the room." 

She then heard Prince James say, "So which teachers do each one of us get?" She started to wonder if the Prince was hoping to be paired with Clarice, or one of the other ladies in the school. 

She watched as Richard raised the clipboard and said, "Each one will help you control your powers. Every Monday, these will be your classes. On Friday, you will each be paired with a different teacher, or teachers. Now, here are the groupings. Tasha, you'll have first session with Yvette and Monet. They will help you develop your psychic abilities, and learn better control over them." She saw Tasha smile at that. She then heard Richard continue, "Anne, you will be teamed up with Clarice. Clarice is a teleporter like yourself, so it would be best if she helps you at first." 

She then saw Clarice say, "Just to let you know, Anne, we will probably stick around the school when we teleport." She saw a look of relief pass over Anne's face, and wondered if it had anything to do with her arrival at the school. 

She then heard Richard say, "Kevin, I'll have you working with Everett. His power will allow him to use your abilities, and then teach you more about them. Amy, I'm having you work with Darrett and Davis. Davis knows about sound based powers, since his abilities are sound based. Darrett's special gift will allow you some testing opportunities." 

She then heard Davis say, "Good choice, Richard. I'll do my best to make you proud." Yvette was happy to hear that in Davis' voice. She could tell he was happy to be making up for his past in this way. 

Yvette then saw Richard smile. She then heard him continue, "Prince James, I'm having Jubilation teach you. Her power may be a bit opposite yours, but I believe it is the best pairing. Thomas, that leaves you to be with me. My own power will allow me to show you about yours. Now, I want all of you to head off. I believe Tasha, Monet and Yvette need to pick a room. Everyone else, discuss which room you want to go to, and we will all meet after the last session. You are all dismissed." 

She then watched as everyone headed off. She then turned to Monet and Tasha and said, "Maybe we should all head to library. We will need a quiet place for this task." She then lead the way to the public library. She knew the quiet would be best for what she had in mind.

* * *

Tasha followed Yvette and Monet as they entered the library. As they entered, she heard Yvette say, "Tasha, please sit down in a chair. It would be best if you sit down for this lesson." 

She did so, but she wondered what was going to happen. She looked over at Yvette and asked, "Yvette, can using psychic powers be so taxing, that one should be sitting?" 

She heard Monet say, "It can be, however, what we are going to do is head to the Astral Plane. It's a place all mutants with psychic powers can access. When you get there, what ever form you choose will be the form you will most likely appear there as for the whole time." 

She then heard Yvette say, "Since this is your first time, and we are not going to do much, choose something you would be comfortable in." Tasha thought to herself about that. Last night was the first time she could ever relax and be comfortable. It was a very liberating experience. To not have to worry about her home life, or her parents barging into her room, she could be perfectly relaxed. She even thought about that natural relaxation she had felt. 

She then heard Monet say, "We'll be heading in there now. Are you ready?" She nodded and soon everything appeared to change around her. She appeared to be floating in space. She looked around in awe and wonder. She hadn't even faced anyone else yet, but she heard a gasp of surprise. 

Tasha then heard Yvette yell, "Tasha, what are you doing like that?" She turned to face the others, only to see Yvette appeared to be blushing, and also that she now wore a bright blue gown, and her hair was apparently spikes, instead of the flowing red it was before. 

She looked at Monet and then saw that she was in a pure white gown, which was in contrast to her dark skin. She looked at her and said, "Did I do something wrong? I just thought of how comfortable I was last night, the first in a long time." 

She watched as Monet shook her head and said, "No. It's alright. I think Yvette was just surprised that you appeared here 'Au natural.' Yvette has some issues with it, stemming back to our school days." 

She then heard Yvette say, "Monet, you don't need to tell her about that. That was embarrassing enough. I don't need my embarrassment to be told to everyone." Tasha started to feel sorry for Yvette. 

She turned to Yvette and said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Cale. I didn't mean to offend you. My life at home was so bad that I wanted to enjoy the freedom when I got it. My parents had to control everything I did. I wasn't even allowed to have my door closed. It just felt so good to have that freedom." 

It was then she saw a look of understanding in Yvette's eyes. She watched as Yvette literally floated over to her and said, "I'm sorry, Tasha. I know what it's like to be denied freedom for so long. If you choose to follow this state of being in your room, that's fine. However, on the Astral Plane and around others is not the place to go 'Au Natural', as Monet put it. You never know who, or what, might be around. At least right now, you are with Monet and myself. In fact, maybe later in the week, I'll tell you about that incident. In a way, we have a lot in common." 

That made her feel better. She hadn't thought at first that she might offend someone with her choice of attire. Her happiness was cut short when she noticed another another person near their group. She didn't know who the bald man was, but something unnerved her about his appearance. She quickly said, "Who is that?" 

She watched as Yvette spun around, but as she spun, she noticed that Yvette's eyes were glowing a bright blue. She then heard Yvette say, "Monet, get Tasha out of here. I need to take care of our snooping guest." 

Tasha watched as Monet neared her and took her hand, but saw her say to Yvette, "Be careful, Yvette. Don't do anything you'll regret." 

She was almost stunned when Yvette said, "He knows better. Just be ready, I'm letting Richard know of our spy. He'll know what to do when the phone rings." This puzzled her, but she figured she would find out about it very soon.

* * *

Monet quickly guided Tasha out of the Astral Plane. When she saw Professor Xavier standing there, she knew what was going to happen. Yvette was going to lash out. Inwardly, she hoped Yvette wouldn't hurt him, but her words told her that this had happened before. When she was finally back, she got up and ran over to the chair Tasha was in. She saw the girl open her eyes and said to her, "You aren't too exhausted, are you?" 

She watched as Tasha shook he head and said, "No, Monet. I just want to know who that man was." She understood what Tasha was wondering. None of the kids knew about the mistrust between Xavier and Richard. Soon, she saw Richard running into the room. She also glanced over to see Yvette was opening her eyes. 

She then heard Yvette ask, "Is Tasha alright? I hope she wasn't to scared. The problem has been taken care of." She watched as Yvette turned to Richard and said, "He was spying on us again. Why can't he trust us?" 

Monet turned to face Tasha, as she said, "Who was it, Yvette? Who was that guy?" 

Before anything else could be said, she heard the phone ring, and saw Richard pick it up. Although she couldn't hear the person on the other end, she heard every word Richard said into the phone. "Jean, he has been warned before. What I'd like to know is when he will trust us. Five years, and the man still doesn't trust us. Also, how did you learn we had a school here. I see. I'll have to ask Anne about that. I hope he does recover, and I hope he has learned that his lack of trust in us is only making the rift between us larger. Good day, Jean." She watched as he hung up the phone, and turned to the rest and said, "So, Charles decided to spy on you. I'm sorry that happened." 

She then heard Tasha say, "Was that the man's name? Is he a mutant like me?" Monet saw Richard nod, and then heard Tasha ask, "What is this about not trusting you?" 

She felt like Richard was about to say something, but was surprised when Yvette said, "Five years ago, Richard and I, as well as Monet and several others here, went to the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. Professor Xavier, who is in charge of the X-Men, started to worry about our powers, and when Richard had to help him control his psychic powers, he discovered Xavier's lack of trust in us." 

Monet watched as Tasha sat back, almost in disbelief. Monet then said, "Richard still respects Xavier's goal of human and mutant coexistence, but until he can trust him again, Richard doesn't want anything to do with Professor Xavier. Judging by the conversation, I think Xavier found out about this school and was trying to find out what was going on here." 

She watched as Richard nodded, and said, "Apparently, Jonothan and Paige were trying to recruit Anne to go to one of Xavier's schools in the states. If Xavier is going to keep up this spying, I may have to take added measures. Right now, do your best to continue the lessons." She then watched as Richard left the room. 

When he was gone, she heard Tasha say, "I can't believe that such a rift exists between two good men. I hope things get straightened out. 

She put her hand on Tasha's shoulder and said, "It will. It will take them time, but they will get it sorted out." She kept a block on her thoughts, but deep down, she secretly feared that the rift would never close. She knew Richard wasn't evil, but she feared Rich would one day think Charles Xavier was a menace to society. 

* * *

Anne Smith entered the room that Clarice had told to meet her in. She saw a few toys scattered about the room, which told her the room was the children's playroom. Soon, she heard Clarice say, "I'll be with you in a moment, Anne. I'm just making sure the children are busy." She looked in Clarice's direction to see her setting up a game on the television. It looked like one of the games in the Mario Party series, but she wasn't sure which one. 

When she saw Clarice stand and walk over to her, she heard the one girl say, "Thank you, Mommy. I hope you can join us later." She realized the girl that had spoken had to have been Clarice's daughter. 

She watched as Clarice approached and said, "Sorry about the wait, but I wanted to make sure the kids were preoccupied. I take it you are ready for your session." Anne nodded and listened as Clarice continued. "Alright then, let's start by going from room to room. I want you to start by creating a portal from here to your room." 

Anne knew what Clarice was asking, and started to focus on her room in the school. She knew it was a bit sparse, but she knew her parents would be sending some of her things. She figured Lord Cale had already asked them to do so. When she had the image of her room in her mind, she created a 'step' to her room. She then watched as Clarice stepped through it, and then followed her through. When they were through, she closed it and said, "Did I do good?" 

She watched as Clarice nodded and said, "Yes you did. Now, I want you to create a portal to another room in the school." She nodded and started to focus on the main hall. It was a difficult task, since it was the only other place she knew of in the school. Soon, she had repeated the same process and they were in the main hall. Once that was done, she heard Clarice say, "Alright, now focus on another room in the school." 

She looked at Clarice and said, "I don't think I can. It helps if I've seen the place or person before." In fact, that had been the only way she had managed to 'step' to the school in the first place. She had seen pictures of Lord Cale's home. 

She watched as Clarice looked at her and said, "Can you explain that a bit more? My power doesn't require me to focus on a set area, but on a distance." 

She nodded and said, "Well, I found that if I focus on someone I've seen, I can create a 'step' to where ever they are. I found that out when my friend was in Paris for vacation and a created a 'step' to where they were. It caused a bit of a fuss though." 

Anne watched as Clarice looked at her, almost in deep thought. She felt like she was on pins and needles, waiting for Clarice to respond. It was as if she didn't believe her. Soon, she heard Clarice say, "To be honest, Anne, I've never heard of a teleportation power working over such a large distance. Can you show me an example of this?" 

Anne nodded, and thought for a moment. Then she thought of the perfect test subjects. She looked at Clarice and said, "I'll create a 'step' to the two people who came to my home yesterday. I had seen them come up my home's walkway, not too long before I made my way here. Since then, they might be elsewhere in the world, even in America." She started to focus on the man and woman that were from Xavier's. She hoped that when she made the 'step', they wouldn't notice it. As the 'step' came into view, she could see the two of them in what appeared to be a jungle. She also saw they were kissing, and there was an odd glass panel in the background. She then turned to look at Clarice, and saw a look of shock on her face.

* * *

Clarice couldn't believe what she was seeing in front of her. The one time she had been at Xavier's school in New York, she had seen the 'Danger Room', but she had never seen it in use. Now she was looking in on that very room, and apparently Paige and Jonothan were celebrating the end of a good session. She quickly turned the Anne and said, "Close it fast." 

She didn't want to panic, but she was afraid the two would look over at them and would wonder how they appeared to be in the same place they were. Inwardly, she couldn't believe the range Anne's powers had. She was thankful when the scene disappeared and she heard Anne say, "I'm sorry if I scared you. I did want to show you the range of my powers." 

Clarice nodded, still a bit stunned from it. She then said, "It's ok. That is an exceptional range, especially since the two we just saw are in New York State, on the other side of the Atlantic. That is at least a couple of thousand miles. The range on your power is amazing. Reducing that much distance to one step. You really do fold space. I must warn you that such a power can be dangerous." 

She watched as Anne turned to look at her and said, "How can it be dangerous?" 

She thought for a moment and then choose her words carefully. "Any place you create a 'step' to might not be able to allow a person to survive on the other side. However, some places, like the last one you created a 'step' to, might view the appearence as a breach of security. Also, there are some dangerous people out there. If they use those 'steps' you create, it could be dangerous for you. Also, can you maintain 'steps' you create?" 

She watched as Anne shook her head and said, "Not that I'm aware of. It would be nice if I could. I could 'step' home every day. I guess I could hope for that to happen one day." 

Clarice look at Anne for a moment, and choose her next words carefully. "Right now, I'm thankful you can't set up established 'steps' If the 'Rippers' would come across one of those, it could mean disaster. Also, what do you think would happen if some unscrupulous person used a 'step' to go to your home and attack your family. These are things all teleporters and portal creators have to think about. You also need to learn how to open and close your 'steps' quicker." She watched as Anne nodded with each statement. She then said, "Anne, you have a very powerful gift. I wouldn't be surprised if you could travel milliions of miles in one step. I don't recommend trying it, but it's a power with great potential." 

She then saw Anne smile, as the girl said, "You mean my power has great potential to help people." When she nodded, she saw how happy Anne was. The session started off rocky, but appeared to end well. When she first thought about teaching, she was nervous. Now, she had faith in her teaching skills. She also hoped the others had similar success in their classes. 

* * *

Kevin Mitchel walked into the one reading room in the Cale Institue. He wasn't sure of the room's original purpose, but he had a feeling it was the same as it was now. He also noticed that Everett, the man who was going to help him with his powers, was laying a few pieces of paper on the one table. As he neared the table, he heard Everett say, "You're right on time, Kevin. I was just setting up for your session. These papers are only part of it." 

That had him worried. He didn't mind just using the paper for testing. He worried that he'd ruin something valuable. He looked at Everett and said, "Are you sure that's wise? I think Richard and Yvette would be mad if I ruined anything here." In his mind, he actually saw the plate he ruined at Amy's house. Her father was furious. He then imagined how upset the Cale's would be. 

Before he could get upset, he heard Everett say, "Don't worry about it. Do you think Richard would have paired us as teacher and student if he didn't think we could handle it." He had to nod in agreement with that statement. He knew that Richard must have known Everett for a long time. 

With that in his mind, he looked at Everett and said, "Alright, Everett. What do you want me to do?" 

He watched as Everett motioned to the papers and said, "On each paper is the name of something I want you to transform the paper into. After you've done that, I want you to change this plate to rubber. Are you ready to do that?" 

Kevin nodded and looked at the first paper. When he saw the word on the paper, he smiled. Soon, he turned the paper into a piece of aluminum. It was easy for him. Then next one he turned into a piece of glass. Soon, he had transformed every paper into something else. He then turned his attention to the large glass plate. It was very thick, and he knew it would take some time. He picked up the plate, and started to focus. He knew small things were easy to transform, but this plate would be a challenge. As he concentrated, he noticed the plate began to turn into rubber. It took him a while, but soon, the plate was rubber. He carefully put it down, and said, "I've changed all of them. What's next?" 

When he heard Everett's words, he felt his heart stop. "I want you to restore the plate, and then all the papers." It had taken him almost all his energy to transform the plate, and now he had to restore it. He wasn't sure if he could do it. He knew he had to try, but as he picked up the plate, he felt himself lose his grip. He watched as it fell to the floor, but he was thankful it was now rubber, as it bounced off the floor. He then turned to Everett, and shook his head. He wasn't sure he could do it now.

* * *

Everett looked at Kevin and realized that the boy was drained. He reached down, and picked up the rubber plate as he heard Kevin say, "I'm sorry. I don't think I can do it. It's too much for me." 

He put his hand on Kevin's shoulder and said, "It's alright. Sometimes, the best way to develop your powers is to push them to their limits. Now, do you want me to help you change the plate back?" When he saw Kevin nod, Everett started to use his power. Soon, his aura appeared like a floating rainbow. Within a minute, he could use Kevin's powers. 

As his aura still surrounded him, he heard Kevin say, "What is that around you, Everett?" He could see the awe and wonder in Kevin's eyes. 

Everett smiled and said, "It's my mutant power. I have an aura that allows me to use other mutants powers. It's similar to Richard's power, but I can use many abilities at once, where he has to use one at a time. Now watch for a moment." He picked up the plate and started to focus on it. It was the first time he used a power like this, so he knew it would take some time. In almost the same amount of time Kevin had taken to change the plate, he had restored the plate. 

As he put the restored plate down, he heard Kevin say, "That took almost as long as I took to change it. How did you manage to do that?" 

He turned to Kevin and said, "It's your power. With practice, and time, you will be able to restore the things you change. Try it with the sheets of paper. Restore as many as you can." 

He saw Kevin walk to the first one he changed, and started to change it back. It wasn't as instant as the first transformation, but he also knew Kevin was a bit drained. Soon, he saw Kevin put down the restored page, and move to the next one. He watched as Kevin moved down the line, and soon, almost all the papers were restored. When Kevin reached the last one, he saw the boy was moving slower. He heard Kevin say, "Almost done." 

Everett walked over to Kevin and said, "I'll take care of the last one. We will repeat this next week, so if you get a chance to practice, do it." He picked up the former sheet of paper, and restored it in almost no time. He then turned to Kevin and said, "Right now, I think you need to rest. That will be it for today." 

He saw Kevin nod, and watched as the boy headed for the door. He then saw Kevin stop and turn to face him. "Everett, how did you meet Lord Cale?" 

Everett knew what Kevin was trying to find out. He wanted to know how Everett knew Richard, and he knew he couldn't lie. He smiled and said, "We went to school together. I'd tell you more, but you need to rest." He watched as Kevin then left the room, and he moved to put the papers away. He smiled as he though about how much help he could do teaching here. He also hoped that Jubilation would do as well teaching as he did. 

* * *

Davis Skinur stood in the music room with Darrett and waited for Amy to arrive. He had appreciated this chance Richard was giving him, and he knew some of the others were still uncomfortable around him. He looked over the room, and enjoyed the silence that was there now. He looked over at Darrett and said, "You know, I never truely appreciated the silence before, Darrett. Now that I can choose to have it, it's more enjoyable." 

He watched as Darrett sat down, and said, "You know, I used to not appreciate the time to just sit back and relax. Now I can do it, and my job at the same time. I must admit that teaching might not be as easy as being a bodyguard." 

Davis turned to Darrett and said, "You know, I always wondered about you, and Clarice. How did you two end up at the school all those years ago?" He had wondered about most of the members of Generation X at the time, but Darrett and Clarice seemed to be the most mysterious. 

He watched as Darrett looked around and then said, "Well, both Clarice and I came from alternate timelines. Clarice comes from a timeline where Xavier was killed and Apocolypse had thaken over." 

Davis felt himself shudder at the name of the evil mutant that had manipulated him. He then shuddered and said, "I don't ever want to hear his name again. Maybe we should change the topic. I'm not sure I want to hear about the time you came from." 

He watched as Darrett nodded and said, "I understand. I think sometimes my timeline was worse then hers. So what did you have in mind for the lesson?" 

Davis was thankful for the topic change and said, "Well, I was thinking of having her doing her vocal projection in different rooms. Those beings you create would be perfect to see if she's doing it right. Think it's a good plan?" He watched as Darrett nodded. He then felt the need to ask another question. "Darrett, do you trust me?" 

He watched as Darrett turned to face him and said, "If Richard trusts you, then I trust you. It took me some time to get used to Richard when I first arrived in this timeline. I've also learned he's a good man, who values trust. You managed to re-earn his trust. That says alot for you." He nodded, remembering how Richard was about trust. 

He then turned towards the door as it opened and saw Amy entering the door. He smiled and said, "Amy, good timing. Are you ready for your lesson?" He watched as she nodded and headed into the room.

* * *

Amy Johnson walked over to Darrett and Davis and said, "What did you have in mind for my lesson?" She looked at the two of them wondering what the lesson plan was, and what exactly their powers were. She had heard Darrett explain his powers, but she never learned about Davis's power. 

She watches as Davis faced her and said, "We are going to test your ability by giving you different subjects and places to send your voice to. Darrett is going to bring us some test subjects." 

She watched as Darrett nodded and soon, she saw three people appear. The first one looked like a man dressed from the early 1930's. As she looked at him, she could have sworn she saw him from an old game. The second was a green haired woman, who wore sunglasses that looked like a musical note. The last one looked like a very tall individual, but something about him creeped her out. She then heard Darrett talk to the three, "Each one of you head to one of the three neighboring rooms. She watched as Darrett faced her and said, "Amy, could you please turn around." She did so and soon she heard three doors close. 

Soon, she heard Davis say, "Alright Amy, you can turn around." As she did so, she saw Davis turn on a stereo and soft relaxing music filled the room. As they stood there, she heard Davis saw, "Now Amy, I want you to talk to the person in each room, and ask each one a question. After you ask the question, tell them to come back in the room." 

She looked at each door, wondering which door each of the three went behind. She knew which one she wanted to find first, but wasn't sure which door the woman had gone to. She looked over at the door to the left and focused on her power. Soon she said in that room, "Are you the female of the three? Please open the door and answer me." 

Soon, she saw the door open, and the man dressed from the 1930's came out and said, "Sorry. I'm not the one you are looking for. She's in one of the other rooms." She hated to think that she failed in using her abilities, but she was trying to learn about her abilities. That was the main reason she wanted to come to the school. 

She focused on her powers a second time and looked over her two choices. This time, she had a better chance of picking the right room. She looked from door to door, and finally decided to face the one in front of her. Then she spoke into the room. "Are you the female of the three? Exit the room and let me know." She watched as the door opened, and the tall gentleman appeared at the door and shook his head. She lowered her head and sighed. She failed twice to pick the right door. She wasn't sure if she wanted to try to use her ability again.

* * *

Darrett could see that Amy was upset. He had a feeling that she was trying to find the one female villian he had summoned. He looked at her and said, "Amy, you are doing well right now. Can't you use your ability to focus on a person?" 

He watched as she shruged and said, "I don't know. I never tried to use my power that way. Will it work?" 

To be honest, he didn't know. He turned to face Davis and watched as Davis shrugged and said, "You never know. You can give it a try, but later, you should ask Richard if it's possible." He watched as Amy nodded. He realized that Richard's power might be able to answer her question. 

He then saw Amy turn her attention to the unopened door. He listened carefully until he finally heard Amy's voice come from behind the door. "Who ever you are in there, can you come out and tell me your name?" He looked at her and she said to him, "I tried." 

Soon, he saw the room door open and watched as the figure he summoned stepped out and said in a high pitched voice, "I was wondering when you were going to ask. My name is Melodia." 

He watched as both Davis and Amy looked at him. He finally smiled and said, "I saw her from a cartoon a few years back. I think Richard and Yvette are familiar with the characters." 

He notice Davis nodded and said, "I know. I used to watch it too. Haven't seen it in years. However, I think you should send those three back for right now." He nodded in agreement and returned the beings. 

He started to worry when the tallest of the three still remained. He looked at the figure and said, "You are dismissed. Don't even think about rebeliing." 

He was surprised as the being started to step towards him and said, "I've already considered the options. I doubt you can stop me." He was surprised when the figure appeared to be shocked when it wouldn't move. 

He turned to see Davis holding up a hand and his eyes were glowing. He then heard Davis say, "Send him back now. I'm got him frozen, and lowering his will power. I don't know how long I can hold him though." Darrett nodded and tried again to dismiss the figure, and was successful this time. 

Darrett then turned to Davis and said, "Thank you. I guess I didn't realize he was more powerful than I first thought. Thanks alot, Davis." He then realized that since everything that happened five years ago, Davis was truely a new man. He also hoped that the others who didn't trust Davis would now trust him. 

* * *

Prince James walked down the hall that lead to the ballroom. He had been to that room in the past, when he and his father attended functions at the Cale household. This time, however, he was to meet Jubilation Thomas who was going to teach him how to control his powers. In fact, he wondered how she was going to do that as he neared the room. As he entered the room, he started to wonder why the ballroom was so dimly lit. He then looked up to see ten glowing orbs in the room. He was surprised by the site, until he heard Jubilation say, "Welcome to your first session, Prince James. I believe you are wondering about the orbs lighting this room." 

He looked at them again and then said, "Actually, I was. I've been in this room before for special functions. Lord Cale never had lights like these. I take it you are responsible for them." 

He watched as she nodded and said, "Yes. With my power, I can create balls of plasma, control where they go, and when they burst. As you can tell, I can control many of them at a time. Today, you'll start learning to do the same. Around the room, I have placed multiple cups of water. Ten in total. I want you to outen each sphere. Survey the area, and get an understanding of where things are. It may look easy, but it isn't." 

Prince James almost wanted to laugh at that. He looked at her and said, "That shouldn't be too hard. I just douse them one at a time. It shouldn't take too long." He even smiled a bit with that one. This was definitely going to be easy. 

He then saw her create another plasma orb, and watched as it floated into the middle of the room and exploded. It was bright, and he shielded his eyes. When he had his vision back, he was surprised to see she had pink RayBans on. He then heard her say, "Well, I didn't create them all at the same time, and in thirty seconds, I'm going to detonate them in order of first created. If any one goes off before you douse them, it means we repeat this test next week." Now he realized he had a problem. If he was going to save face, he had to get rid of all the orbs at once. He looked around the room, and knew he had to use all the cups at once. He started to focus on all the glasses, and hoped that he was right that the orbs were over each glass. As the water started to rise, he hoped that the orbs would go out.

* * *

Jubilation watched as Prince James made the water rise. She had a feeling his first trick would be to raise all the water up. That was why she made sure only four of the orbs were directly over the glasses. When she saw what he had done, she said, "You've taken care of four of them, but managed to get the first orb. The second one will go in a few seconds." She watched as he made all the water go in a different direction. With that move, he outen only two more. She then saw the one orb explode with loud 'Paf'. She held up her hand and said, "That's it. You can drop the water." 

She watched as the water all fell to the floor, and heard Prince James say, "That was very difficult. How can you even pull off that control?" 

She smiled and said, "I've had tons of training. Besides, I can't only control them, but I can reabsorb them." She made all the orbs come back to her and reabsorbed them. She then said, "I can teach you how to split your focus. It can come in handy. The powers you control can work that way. However, you must develop them first." That was one of the things she was thankful for at Xavier's and her own private practicing. All that time, she had better control over her powers. In fact, even when she got very mad, she never lost control of her powers. She then walked over and turned on the room lights, and removed her Raybans. 

As their eyes adjusted, she heard Prince James say, "I never knew one could do that with their powers. I hope you'll be able to show me how to do that. I had always thought I could only control water to do the same thing all the time. How can you make them all do seperate things at the same time?" 

Jubilation smiled and said, "It's something I learned at the school I went to. However, most of my skills I did learn on my own. I basically learned a good deal of control. One thing you need to remember about your power is that if misused, it can be extremely dangerous, especially if you are out of control of it. I know from personal experience." 

She watched as he nodded and said, "I think I understand. I used to use my powers at home to have some fun at others expense. I guess that wasn't right." 

She nodded and said, "No, but if they are harmless, it should be alright. Just remember that there is a point when pranks go from harmless to mean." She watch as the boy nodded, and she then wondered if she should ask Richard about something else. Maybe she could be a counselor of sorts. When she thought about all she had done in life, it made sense to her. However, she still wondered how she was going to keep up with her job at home. 

* * *

Thomas Jacobs walked into the room Richard had told him to meet him in. He wondered what Richard had planned as he headed over to the table Richard was sitting at. As he neared the table, he was almost startled when he heard a voice say, "It's about time you showed up, Thomas." He looked up to the one shelf in the room to see Grimore laying on his side, looking at him. 

He then heard Richard say, "I knew he'd show up, Grimore. Now Thomas, please take a seat at the table." He did as he was told, and noticed that there were a few things on the table, which include some dice and a deck of cards. When he was seated, Richard said to him, "Now Thomas, why don't you explain your power to me, a bit better than you had when you first arrived." 

He nodded and thought for a moment. He wondered how he could put it in better words. As he thought about it, he thought of the job he had gotten and smiled. He then said, "Well, Lord Cale, I mean Richard, my power is to basically allow for the best outcome. I change probability so I can always beat the odds. It doesn't matter what I do, I can always beat the odds. No matter what the odds are, I can beat them." 

He watched as Richard looked at him and said, "Then let's put that to the test, alright. I have here a deck of cards. My task for you is to pick out a card for each of the following types. The first type is a card red in color. The second type is an even card. The third type is higher than an eight. The last type is that the card must be a face card. Any card you pick must cover at least one of these types. If you don't pick a card to fit any of the types, you must start again. Understood?" 

He nodded and picked up the deck. He held it in his hands and thought about what he needed. The more he thought about it, he needed either a queen of diamonds or queen of hearts. He focused on the cards, and started to cut the cards. When he had done that, he turned the top half of the deck and said, "Here's one of them, the queen of hearts. Do you want me to pull out the other card that matches all that you asked for?" 

He watched as Richard nodded and said, "If you feel you can." He looked at Richard and then focused on the cards again. He knew the card had to be there. He cut the deck again and turned the top half over. He was shocked when he saw the card wasn't the queen of diamonds, but it appeared to be the queen of spades. He tried to cut the cards again, and failed to pick out the right card. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he could tell by the look on Richard Cale's face that Richard knew the cause.

* * *

Richard smiled as Thomas looked at him. He then heard Thomas say, "Why can't I get the other card I need?" 

Richard reached into his pocket and pulled out the missing card. He then said, "Because you never needed it. The deck only had one card that matched all the types. It was a test for you. You focused your ability on the cards, figuring all the cards were there. This had been a test of the extent of your powers. Now, I want to see something else." He put the cards aside, and brought over the two cups, and all ten of the dice he got out. He also extended his power's radius, and took on Thomas' ability. He placed five dice in each cup and handed the one cup to Thomas. "Tell me, Thomas, have you ever played Liar's Dice?" 

He watched as Thomas nodded and said, "Yes. I've never lost a game. Are you sure you want to play this with me?" Richard knew what Thomas was hinting at, however, he had a feeling Thomas didn't know fully about his ability. 

He then sat back and said, "You seem very confident about that. Well, let's hope for the best then." He watched as they both shook their cups and rolled the dice. When all was said and done, he had rolled five aces. Each were a wild card. He covered them and looked at Thomas and said, "Ok, what's your bid?" 

He watch as Thomas looked at his dice and then said, "3 sixes." Soon they were in a bidding war. Richard hoped they would stop when he knew he'd win. 

It took a while, but soon he heard Thomas say, "Nine sixes. I'd like to see you beat that." He then saw a grin pass Thomas' face. He knew that Thomas thought he had won. 

Richard sat back and said, "Might as well go for broke. I bid all sixes, and since we can go no higher, let's show our dice." He watched as Thomas lifted his cup, and revealed what he was sure he'd see. 

He then heard Thomas say, "Well, that makes up half of the bid, but I don't think you were lucky enough to roll all sixes." Richard then picked up his cup, and saw a look of surprise cross Thomas' face as the boy said, "I don't believe it, all aces." 

Richard nodded and said, "Yes, all ace's which fills the bid. Now if you were wondering how that could be, I'll tell you. Thomas, my ability is to be able to mimic any mutants power that is in my range to copy their power. As you can easily figure, I took on your ability and used your powers to allow me to roll the five aces. With a little practice, I'm sure you can learn to use your powers in almost any situation." 

He watched as Thomas nodded and said, "I think so. I never realized that things could change with different factors. I learned alot today. Thank you." 

Before he could respond to what Thomas had said, he heard Grimore say, "I think everyone is about to enter. You'll be pleased with how the day went." Richard looked to the door to see all the students and teachers enter the room. 

When they were all in, he got up and said, "I trust everyone's session went well, given it was their first sessions." He knew there had been some problems but other than those, he was sure all the sessions went well. In fact he saw everyone nod in approval. He then said, "Everyone, every Monday will be like this. On Friday, we will have similar sessions with different teachers. Now everyone, I want you all to relax and prepare for tomorrow. There will be standard classes tomorrow." He watched as all the students left the room and looked at all the teachers. 

As soon as all the students were gone, he heard Clarice say, "Some of them are powerful. We almost had a situation that would have cause Xavier to take notice." 

He nodded and said, "Apparently, he did notice. Yvette had an incident with him. Let's just all try and keep an eye on things. Does everyone understand that?" When he saw everyone nod, he then said, "Ok, I want you all to give me a summary of the sessions in writing. I want to know how they turned out, since that will decide how I pair everyone up on Friday. As for tomorrow, I hope you all have a class lesson prepared. If not, just give a summary of what the class will be. Right now, let's all relax and recoup from the days events." He saw all of them nod, but was happy to see the happy looks on all their faces. Something about the day's sessions must have made everyone happy, in a way. Maybe this is what they all needed, especially with how things were happening in the world right now. Inwardly, he hoped that things would truely start to get better. 

Chapter End. 


	6. A Dark Strike

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start. 

Chapter 6: A Dark Strike 

Lady Dark sat in her throne, in the main room of the underground hideout of the 'Rippers'. It had been part of the Underground at one time, but that was long before they had arrived. Now, she sat next to her husband as their first minion spoke. She listened as Jack spoke about the one girl they definitely wanted to capture. "Now that she's at the Cale Institute, it will be easy to capture her. Once we get in the school, we find her, grab her, and bring her to you." 

She felt her interest, as well as Lord Dark's, rise in that moment. However, it was her voice that asked the key question. "A school for mutants. I take it that Lord Cale is running it. What else can you tell us about the place?" 

She watched as Jack stepped back and said, "All I know is that the place has eight teachers, four of them being Lord and Lady Cale, and their two bodyguards." She had a feeling she knew who those two were. 

She watched as her husband said, "I take it you have a plan for attack. If it's good, I'll forget about your failure to catch the girl earlier this week." She saw Jack cringe at that, but knew he wouldn't go as far as killing him. She also picked up on how stressed her husband was. 

Lady Dark turned to look at Jack as he said, "Very simple plan, my lord. I take some of my troops and attack the school. While they are unaware of the attack, we move in and catch them unprepared. Any of the teachers that try to stop us will die at our hands. The children will be defenseless." She thought about his plan for a moment, and realized it had some draw backs. If she thought right, Lord and Lady Cale would have invited people in that could handle problems. She could only think of who they might call in, but she knew it had to be people they knew. 

She turned to face her husband and said, "It sounds like a good plan, but I think a change needs to be made." 

She watched as her husband turned to face her, a cold look on his face, and said, "What sort of change do you have, my dear?" She could see that capturing this young girl was important just by the look on his face. 

She also knew it was due to the girls power. She sat back and thought about what she had in mind. Soon she said, "If the Cale's have realized what we are, then they have called in people who are familiar with handling our kind. We are also unaware of some of their capabilities. We may want to just launch an attack, one where we are just testing them. I think this school may prove to be our only foes." She looked over at her husband and waited as he thought over her plan. She had no doubt to how he would decide, but she also knew that Jack wasn't aware of what his choice would be. She saw that he stood nervously as her husband thought.

* * *

Lord Dark sat back in his chair in the central room of their lair. He thought of his wife's revision to Jack's plan and started to smile. As he smiled, he saw Jack relax. He looked at Jack and said, "My wife has a good point, Jack. Stage an attack on the school. I'm not expecting you to bring back the girl, but I do expect you to come back. Find out what they are capable of. Take some of your more expendable people with you. I will expect some drastic actions to be taken. If you do bring back the girl, you will be rewarded by having her as your own. If you even fail to launch an attack, you will be punished for both failures." 

He watched as Jack started to back away to the door behind him. He saw that Jack was scared, but also respectful, as he said, "Don't worry, my lord. I will succeed. I will do more than succeed. I realize how important Anne's abilities are to your plans. She will be in our fold soon." 

He nodded and said, "For your sake, Jack, let's hope you are right. You are dismissed." He watched as Jack backed out of the room, and closed the door. After a moment, he turned to his wife and said, "She is important to the plans. Portal can't be used to warp around this planet. That device he has only allowed us to escape to this world. This Anne's ability will allow us to spread the 'Rippers' world wide. It will even allow us to take down Xavier's people quickly. Remember when we destroyed them in our timeline." 

He watched as she nodded and said, "I remember. I also remember how we humiliated the ones we didn't kill, turning them into slaves, prisoners, and test subjects. Honestly, that was more fun than when will killed our former teammates." 

He nodded and said, "Speaking of prisoners, I think it's high time we check on our special prisoner. He has been unusually quiet." He watched as she nodded and stood. He got up as well and started heading to where they kept their prisoners. When they had escaped their timeline, they had made sure to bring two prisoners with them, one being Portal. The other one they had sedated until they were here. 

As they headed to where they kept the prisoners, he heard Lady Dark say, "He will lash out again. I must admit, after all the time we've kept him prisoner, he does not have the same spunk he had when we first captured him." That had bothered him. Deep down, he didn't want to see that prisoner die. As they continued down the hall, he felt his wife come up behind him and say, "Don't be too stressed, my love. It will work out for us." He knew she was trying to make him feel better, but right now the capture of the mutant named Anne would do that. 

As then entered the place where their special prisoners were, he said to his wife, "We will have fun later." They then walked over to the place where the prisoner in question was. He glanced over at Portal, and then into the place where the other prisoner was. The second he looked in, he ducked back as a claw came at him. He looked in again and said, "You know better than to strike at me." 

He listend as the prisoner said, "Do you know what you have done? All those murders have tainted things. Not only that, by bringing me here, you have disrupted something delicate. Even now my time is short, and that means your time is short. The only problem is when I go, what will happen?" He then heard the prisoner cough. For a brief moment, he was concerned, but he thought it was just an act. Now, of course, time would tell their future. 

* * *

Tasha Lewis was on her way to the library. She had just left some of her books in her room. Everything about the school felt good to her. She had enjoyed all her classes, including History with Richard, Economics with Jubilation, and Science & Nature with Yvette. The other thing she liked was all the fellow students. It was nice to have peers that excepted her. She even felt that in time, she could tell some of the other students about her home life. Right now, only Richard knew about her plight at home, and Monet and Yvette only had a small clue about it. 

Her thoughts had made her almost not realize that there was someone else in the library. She wasn't exactly sure who it was, but whoever it was had something on their minds. As she entered, she wondered if they could teach her to filter out the thoughts of others. When she reached the door, she looked into the library, and was relieved to see Anne was in the library. She was thankful it was only Anne, but she also wondered what was bothering the girl. As she neared the table Anne was at, she said, "Hi, Anne. Did you like class today?" 

She watched as Anne looked at her and said, "Yes. I must admit I like the Literature class with Darrett. Given his power, he is very well versed in literature. He even said that any form of storytelling is like linking to a new world. Do you think he's right?" 

Tasha sat down at the table and thought about it. She had read very few books, mainly due to the fact that her parents worked her to exhaustion. The only time she read had been in study periods in school. "I wouldn't be surprised. Something about Darrett makes me think he knows what he's talking about. It's like he knows more about what goes on than the others do." She also thought about one other thing that seemed odd to her. 

Before she could focus on that, she heard Anne say, "Maybe that's why Clarice told me to be cautious with my powers. Maybe all of them have encountered something like that. She got upset when I opened a link to the US." 

She put her books down on the table and said, "How did you do that?" She was surprised that Anne's power had such a range. She also wondered how Anne was able to reach the United States with her power. 

She watched as Anne leaned forward and said, "Well, it has to do with the fact that some of the people from Charles Xavier's school were at my home. They were trying to get me to head to America. It might have been safer, since the 'Rippers' are showing up more and more. I just wanted to stay here in England. I'm surprised they even knew I was a mutant." 

Tasha thought back to her training session, remembering how Richad and Yvette had reacted. She looked at Anne and said, "I think that's because he found out about you some how. In my power training session, I saw him on the Astral Plane. After that, I don't know what happened, but he left." She could then see that something was really troubling her, and she wondered if it had to do with the day she arrived at the school. She look at Anne and said, "Something about them, or that day, has you worried. What is it?" She then hoped she did the right thing asking that.

* * *

Anne looked up at Tasha, and saw the concern in her eyes. She knew she had only known Tasha a few days, but she saw an honest concern in Tasha's eyes. She leaned forward, and motioned for Tasha to do the same. She then softly said, "I need you to be aware that we are the only two who know this. I don't want anyone else telling about this. The only other person who knows any part of this is Thomas. Do you understand, Tasha?" 

She watched as Tasha nodded and said, "I understand. Your secret is safe with me. I understand about painful secrets." Anne looked at Tasha and could tell that she was telling the truth. She also wondered if Tasha might share those secrets with the others at the school as well. She knew in time she would tell this secret to everyone. 

She then sat back and said, "Well, I had told you that some of Xavier's people wanted me to join his school. I used my power to get me to the closest bus stop. It was about that time that I ran into Thomas. He's a nice guy, but I think he's a bit to reliant on his powers. As we spoke, a group of 'Rippers' started to chase us. We ran a risk by going down the back alleys, until we came to a dead end. It was then I used my power to get both myself and Thomas here. However, the big thing was who I saw in that group of 'Rippers'." 

She watched as Tasha looked at her and said, "You knew who one of them was?" 

Anne nodded and said, "Yes. One of them was my friend, Jack. He had disappeared months ago. Deep down, I had hoped they hadn't got him, but they had. I don't know what they did to him, but something had changed about him. He was in charge of the group that was chasing us. I think they were after me. I'm not sure why, but something tells me they were after me." 

She watched as Tasha looked her in the eyes and said, "There is something more, isn't there?" Anne started to wonder if Tasha was reading her mind. If she was, it was a violation of the school rules. Before she could say anything, she heard Tasha say, "I can see it in your eyes. I once heard they are the windows to the soul." 

Anne nodded and quietly said, "I had feelings for Jack. I think I still do. I'd do anything for him. I never told him how I felt about him, and maybe I should have. Maybe that would have kept him from getting caught. I knew he was a mutant. I had seen him run through a wall once. When he did that, I could even see through the wall. I just hope he didn't accidentally run into a group of 'Rippers'. I could have prevented something like that with my power." 

She felt Tasha put her hands on hers, as she said, "Anne, it's not your fault he got caught. He might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. From what I heard about the 'Rippers', they attack without warning, and always mutants are killed or captured. That's all I know, but if they capture mutants, what do they do with them?" 

Anne remembered when they had arrived, Lord Cale had mentioned something called Emplate. She looked at Tasha and said, "Maybe we need to ask them about this Emplate thing. Maybe that is what is in charge of the 'Rippers'. If that's the case, how much do the other teachers know about this Emplate thing?" She saw Tasha shrug, but she figured that they would both be asking the teachers about it. 

* * *

Kevin Mitchel sat in the one room with Prince James and Thomas Jacobs. When they first had gotten together, they were talking about the classes and the teachers. Of course, as time had passed, they started talking about the people themselves. He sat back as he heard Thomas say, "Personally, I think each of them has their own little secrets they are keeping to themselves. I wonder if they each have their own little secrets they don't want us to know about." 

He looked over at Thomas when he heard him say that, and said, "What do you mean?" He knew there was some mystery to Lord Cale and his group, but not all the teachers seemed that way to him. 

He then heard Prince James say, "You may be right. My father has asked Lord Cale a few times how he came across his wife and bodyguard, and all Lord Cale has said was they met at school. Plus, I'm sure Lord and Lady Cale's parents are dead. I've never heard them mention her parents, and my father told me Lord Cale's parents were murdered." 

Kevin nodded with that and said, "I always wondered about Lady Cale, although they prefer to be called Richard and Yvette. I don't think they were raised as nobles, but just as normal people. I wonder if their school life was like that." 

He then heard Thomas ask him, "How did you get picked for this school? I'm here by chance. James is here because he's the Prince. How did you get picked?" 

He glanced over at the two and said, "I think Amy and I were picked because the Cale's knew us. This is our home town. We actually live not to far apart from each other." As he thought of Amy, he let his mind wander. He knew part of the reason he wanted to come to the school was that Amy was going. He was so much in love with her, and he hoped she shared his feelings. 

He was lost in that thought when he heard Thomas say, "I think he has the hots for her." He turned to see Prince James nodding in agreement. He felt himself blush as they spoke. He then heard Thomas say, "Sorry to embarrass you like that, Kevin. All the girls here are good looking. I have to admit that. However, I do know Anne. We are from the same area. I think the only one we know little about is Tasha." He watched as Thomas seemed to think for a moment before he finally said, "Come to think of it, even the teachers are good looking." 

Kevin shook his head and said, "I wouldn't think of them like that. I'm sure you all know why I think that way. You basically guessed how I feel about Amy. Besides, I don't think Lord and Lady Cale will like you thinking of the teachers that way." He watched as the two others looked at each other. He could tell they were thinking about what would happen if their thoughts were discovered. He also noticed that the Prince seemed more worried than Thomas did.

* * *

Prince James shook his head and thought about what Kevin had said. He knew Lord Cale would remember his stunts, including the one he tried before Lord Cale brought him to the school. Even when he had tried to soak the others, Lord Cale had made a point to tell him not to make Lady Cale upset. He then looked at the others and said, "Maybe Kevin is right. Something tells me that making Lady Cale upset would be a very bad thing. Besides, he's going to remember how often I've tried to soak his bodyguard, Clarice." 

He watched as Kevin turned to face him, but noticed that Thomas had walked over to the window. He then heard Kevin say, "You tried to soak Clarice, like the way you tried to soak the others when they arrived here. Why would you want to do that?" 

He turned to face Kevin and said, "Have you ever seen a woman with lavender skin? It's something exotic. Even though all the times I saw her, she was wearing a suit, and something about her made me want to see her figure. I think that's also why she was more on her guard than others. I must admit I had targeted most of the women at the palace, but she was the one I tried for most." 

He then heard Thomas say, "Maybe you shouldn't target her. There are more important things to be worried about instead of her wrath." He had to agree. He shouldn't keep trying to soak Clarice. 

He nodded his head and said, "You're right. Maybe I should focus my intrests elsewhere. To be honest, I am a bit interested in Tasha. She seems like a very nice girl. Does anyone know anything about her?" 

Prince James heard Kevin say, "Not really. Her background is a complete mystery. I think she spoke with Richard about it, but he hasn't told anything about that meeting. Maybe it's something she doesn't want have shared yet." 

He wondered if it was something so terrible that she didn't want it shared. He honestly couldn't think of anything that bad. He looked at the others and said, "Could it be something that bad they she didn't want any one of us to know?" 

He then heard Thomas say, "It can't be as bad as what I see right now. Both of you, get over here." Now he was worried. Something outside must have scared him. He and Kevin ran over to the window and followed Thomas's gaze. Soon, he saw a group of figures a small distance away from the school. He noticed they were all wearing dark clothes and cloaks. 

As he looked down, he heard Kevin say, "Who are they?" 

He felt his blood go cold as he heard Thomas say, "They are 'Rippers'. In fact, the one is the same one who led the group that attacked Anne and I before we got here." Now he realized why they had arrived all of a sudden. He also realized how much danger they were in at the current time. His father had wanted him in the school so he wouldn't be captured by the 'Rippers' in London. 

Of all things, he did know what had to be done. He looked at the others and said, "We have to warn everyone. Lord Cale will have someplace to secure us all. This castle is almost a millenium old. They probably have like a panic room here." He then dashed out the door and started running to where the others might be. They needed to warn everyone of the danger. They needed to warn everyone of the attack that was coming. 

* * *

Darrett looked out the window of the room where they always gathered to play games. He was glad that with the place now a school, they still kept some traditions. Every night they had played a game with the kids. The only difference with this night however was that it was Jubilation, Clarice, Davis, Monet, Yvette and Amy helping the three little ones. They were playing Cluedo, which he knew was England's version of Clue. Right now, he really didn't feel like playing the game. Something was bothering him. The past five years being a bodyguard gave him an uncanny knack for knowing when something was up. He didn't pick up on some things, but he always knew when an attack on his home was coming. That was the main reason he didn't pick up on Emplate's return, as well as Claudette's attack at the airport. Now he was waiting for what he felt was coming. As he watched the window, he heard two people enter the room and head straight for him. He could tell who they were just from the reflection he saw in the glass. Before they could say anything, he continued watching the window and said, "It's a quiet night out there." 

He wasn't surprised when he heard Richard say, "You never say that unless you feel it's not going to stay that way." He knew Richard knew his abilities, and never doubted them. 

He was almost surprised when he heard Everett say, "Are you saying Darrett has gotten a sixth sense about upcoming attacks? He never showed that before." 

Darrett turned away from the window and said, "It's something I've come to be able to do since Clarice and I started working as bodyguards. Remember what you know about us, Everett." 

Before he could say anything else, he saw Everett turn to Richard and ask, "Do any of the others know about Darrett and Clarice's past?" He watched as Richard shook his head, and saw Everett sigh in relief as he said, "I'm glad no one has to explain that to anyone." He then watched as Everett faced him and quietly said, "I take it the one little girl is your daughter." 

He nodded and quietly said, "Yes, and I never explained about her grandparents to her. Maybe when she's older we can tell her, but not now." He knew that would be a very confusing conversation. He knew the day it happened, his daughter would ask him how her grandfather could be only a few years older than him. That would be when he'd explain about alternate timelines, but he wasn't sure how he'd approach that. 

His thoughts were cut short when he noticed Richard step towards the window and said, "What's was that? I thought I saw movement out there." 

He turned back towards the window and saw a few figures out there. He calmly said, "They don't look like any of the anti-mutant groups. I know they have tried a few things in the past, but I could be wrong. The cloaks they are wearing seems to be hiding who they are right now, but I can see a face in one of the cloaks." 

It was then he heard his wife say, "Did you say cloaks?" He turned to face Clarice as she stood and walked over. "Don't say they are black cloaks, with what appears to be a silver trim on them." He looked out the window again, and noticed that the cloaks appeared just as Clarice had mentioned. 

He turned and said, "That's exactly how they look. How did you know?" He then saw her eyes go wide. Something told him this wasn't a good thing. 

His fears were only confirmed when he saw the rest of the students run in, being lead by Thomas and the Prince. They were all worried, and he started to worry when the Prince said, "Lord Cale, Thomas spotted a group of 'Rippers' outside. He thinks they are about to attack." Soon, he heard the proximity alarms that Richard had first put in the mansion go off. They had been designed to go off if anyone aproached the place any way other than the front gate. He then watched as Richard shouted, "Clairce, Yvette, get all the kids and students down to the secret room. The rest of us will take care of our unwelcomed guests." For the first time, in all his years in England, he was very worried about what was to come.

* * *

Yvette quickly got up and grabbed each of her kids' hands and said, "Amy, Anne, Tasha, Thomas, Kevin and Prince James, follow me." She quickly rushed out of the room, and heard Clarice following her. She quickly glanced back and saw Clarice was caring Joleen as she ran. 

She then heard Amy say, "Yvette, where are we going? Will it be safe?" 

Yvette nodded and said, "It's the most secure room in the castle. In fact, this is one room none of you have ever seen before. In fact, not many people outside of this castle know the room even exists." At this point, they were now all in the library and she went straight for the book that triggered the hidden door to open. 

As the door started to open, she heard Thomas say, "What is down there, Lady Cale?" She knew some of the students weren't comfortable addressing them by first names, but when it came to her title, she wished people wouldn't use it in a private setting. 

She heard Clarice answer the question for her as they started down. "It's a room where the Cale's have always done research. Their family title comes with a lot of responsibility." 

As she lead the way down, she watched the magical candles light up the path. As they neared the bottom of the steps, she heard Tasha say, "Yvette, what is lighting up all these candles? It's almost as if they were magical." 

As they neared the room door, she heard her daughter, Ashley, say, "Mummy always said this room was magical, and Daddy said it was safest." Yvette smiled at what her daughter had said. Only from the mouths of babes could the most unexplainable thing be explained quite normally. 

When they were at the room door, Yvette opened it and said, "Alright, everyone in. Don't touch anything in there." Once everyone had run in, she turned to Clarice and said, "Do you want to wait out here, or in the room?" 

She wasn't surprised when Clarice said, "I'll wait out here. If I see the 'Rippers' coming, I'll come in and teleport everyone out. I just hope Richard doesn't start using codenames from our old days." 

Yvette nodded and closed the door. Once the door was closed, she turned to see most of the students looking around the secret library in awe. She hoped that they wouldn't start looking through the books, but she was startled when she heard Prince James say to her, "Lady Cale, does this room have anything to do with why Cale's were called Paladins in the old days." 

She nodded and said, "Yes, Prince James. It has everything to do with that. However, we can talk about all this stuff later." She quickly glanced around the room, and wondered where the other two students went. 

Soon she heard Anne say, "What are these uniforms?" She felt her heart freeze. She then ran over to where Richard had put the uniforms from their Generation X days into glass cases. 

She walked up behind Anne and said, "I'll tell you about them later. Right now, we need to hope everything works out." 

She was startled when she heard Kevin say, "Yvette, when you explain about them, can you explain about this outfit here?" She turned quick, and gasped as she saw Kevin was looking at the restraints she used to wear. She started to feel tense, and quickly calmed herself down, however, she did put her hand behind her back as he said, "Is something wrong?" 

She shook her head and said, "No. I'll tell you about that outfit later as well. Just go back to the others." She watched as he and Anne went to the others, and then she turned around, holding her tense hand out of sight of the others and quietly said, "Calm down. I don't need to be tensing up now." Soon, she felt her hand untense, and she went back to the students, hoping all would be well upstairs. 

--------------------------------------------------

* * *

Once all the students were out of the room, Richard held out his hand and focused his mind on his sword. He knew what the 'Rippers' were. They were a gang of Emplates, who would kill anyone to get what they wanted. Soon, his sword appeard in his hand and burst into flames. When he lowered his arm, he looked at those still in the room and said, "It looks like we will be having some issues with the 'Rippers'. I hope you all realize that we may have to use lethal force to stop them." 

He saw Darrett nod his understanding, but he heard Jubilation say, "Richard, you can't be serious. You can't expect us to kill our foes." 

Richard closed his eyes and said, "I am serious, Jubilee. These 'Rippers' have killed, kidnapped and God knows what else. If they are after the students, they will kill us to get to them. Plus, these are Emplate's minions. They will either kill us, or drag us off to where ever his lair is. I hate to say it, but this may turn into the same war that Bishop was afraid of." He also realized how serious he was. He recognized that he was addressing them according to their old Generation X code names. 

Before he could continue, he heard Monet say, "Skitz, I understand what you mean about defending ourselves at all costs. In fact, I think what you are saying is wise. If this is the beginning of the Emplate War, we need to stop it here and now. Also, we can't allow my brother to get any of the students. You know what he did to Penance." Richard felt a chill go through his spine when she said that. 

He then heard Davis say, "I'll do what I must to save the students, and your family, Richard. If using lethal force to keep the students safe is what we need to do, then we must do it." 

He looked over at Everett, and heard him say, "I may not agree with it, but I understand your point. May I make one suggestion?" Richard nodded and listened as Everett said, "May I suggest we try to capture one, in hopes we can find out where the 'Rippers' are based. If we know where Emplate's lair is, we can quickly stop him. It's the only logical thing to do." 

Richard nodded and finally said, "Alright everyone, let's get to the main hall. Mancer, be ready to bring in some help. Jubilee and Synch, be ready to blind them. Soundwave, I want you to be able to create a sonic barrier of some sorts." He then noticed that Davis didn't have his walkman on him. He then said, "Never mind that. Stick with M. I hope you can handle some one on one situations." 

He saw Monet look at him, and say, "Maybe you should have him guard the kids. Blink or Penance would be better up here." 

Richard shook his head, "No, M. If we fall, Blink can get them out of here, and Penance's current wardrobe won't handle her powers. We can do this. We just need to be on our guard." He then headed out of the room and headed for the main hall. 

As he lead the way, he heard Jubilee shout, "Looks like Generation X is rising from the ashes. Lead the way, Skitz." When he heard that, he started to hope he didn't make a mistake. He hoped that with the students and kids in the secret room, no one would try to be a hero-in-training. 

--------------------------------------------------

* * *

Jack watched as he saw movement in some of the rooms. He looked around, and then to the other 'Rippers' and said, "We must have tripped an alarm. Hopefully, they won't be too ready for us. Remember the mission. We are to capture the girl named Anne. Her powers will help us more than anyone elses. If we fail in that, observe everyone. Lord and Lady Dark will appreciate any information we can get." He turned then to face the main gate and said, "Also, feel free to wipe out the one bodyguard. Lord and Lady Dark would love to see him dead." 

Soon, he used his powers on the wall around the castle, and lead the rest through it. As they neared the front door, he heard one of the other 'Rippers' say "Will Lord Dark be upset if we fail?" 

Jack shook his head as they stopped, and said, "No. Lord and Lady Dark will only be upset if we never tried. He wants to know what they are capable of. Last I knew, only Lord Cale, his family, bodyguards and teachers were here. No doubt two of them are keeping the kids safe." He saw the others nod in agreement. He then said, "When I phase the door, run in and attack. There are ten of us, and only six of them." 

With his last words, he phased the door and lead his people into the place. When they were in, he was suprised by a few things. First of all, there were six people guarding the room, and all were ready for battle. The second thing was that he noticed many similiarities in some of those he saw. The last thing that surprised him was the fiery sword Lord Cale was holding. He was even surprised when Lord Cale said, "It looks like our company has arrived. Now let's all show them the way out." 

Jack looked at his underlings and said, "You have your orders. You know what to do. Attack!!" He watched as all his underlings stepped up and the attack began. Now Jack hoped he'd make Lord and Lady Dark happy. 

Chapter End.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope all of you have enjoyed this series so far. I hope that you all like how I continued the story series I had started long ago. Those of you who remember my postings on Kindred Spirits, this is the same series that started there. I hope you like seeing the Generation X members 5 years after the school closed. I know that it differs from the path the comic had taken, but it works. I do need to send out some thanks. 

Mike N: Mike, you have been an inspiration, and you have a lot of talent. I'm glad you allowed me to use Tasha in my series. I hope you have been enjoying X-Knights so far. 

Stormsworder: Stormsworder, I hope you take a moment just to read X-Knights. You have talent, and I encourage you to continue to write. 


	7. Knights Of The XTable

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 7: Knights Of The X-Table

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I. Yvette  
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Yvette Cale sat at the table and focused on her psychic powers. She needed to find out what was happening. It was the only thing she could do, since she knew the kids couldn't leave the room. She used her powers to keep a tab on them. She knew they were all in the secret room with her. She glanced back and saw them all looking at the old costumes. This whole situation was not good. Her husband and their friends were fighting off a group of 'Rippers'. She knew what they really were. They were a group of Emplates, and that meant Emplate was in charge of them. She knew how to pinpoint anyone influenced by Emplate, except for one individual, and she knew what she had to do to focus on the attackers. She quickly searched the castle for any links to Emplate. The longer she searched, the more she started to panic. She couldn't see any of the 'Rippers'. She focused on everyone else, and saw they were in a heated battle, even thought she couldn't see their foes. She quickly said to her husband in their mindlink, _"Richard, I can't see any of the 'Rippers' in my mind link. Maybe Emplate found a way to block them from psi-scans."_

She listened as her husband said, _"Keep trying. We are doing our best to keep them from overwelming us. It seems a lot of them are focusing on Mancer."_

She nodded and said, _"They must know about his power. I won't let Blink know about that."_ She then realized how serious the situation was. Richard was using their old code names. She shivered, knowing how bad the situation must be. She had hoped never to hear the code names ever again. She then looked at the children and said to her husband, _"Skitz, please tell me everything will be alright. I don't want to lose you."_

She was glad to hear her husband say, _"Everything will be well, Penance. You and I have many long years ahead of us. The rest of us will get through this. Just have faith."_ Yvette Cale nodded to herself, and then turned to face the kids. She saw her daughter, Ashley, look at her and smile, as if everything would be well. She smiled back at her daughter, and then turned to look at the others. She had noticed that Grimore was setting on the floor, looking at the new students. She then looked and saw that Tasha and Amy had joined hands and looked deep in meditation. She also started to wonder if the two students were up to something.

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II. Everett  
--------------------------------------------

Everett Thomas stayed with his wife, Jubilation, as the 'Rippers' attacked. He had used his own ability to gain hers, and was trying to blind every 'Ripper' that advanced. The only problem with that plan was that once they had blinded one, another had gotten closer. In fact, all their time was preoccupied with keeping four of the 'Rippers' from grabbing them. As they kept blinding the ones around them, Everett said, "You think after five years, we would have had some time to get back into the swing of this, huh, Jubilee."

He wasn't surprised when Jubilation just said, "I think when Skitz said Emplate was back, we should have been ready for this." He watched as his wife blinded another 'Ripper' before she said, "At least we are keeping them at bay. It looks like M and Soundwave are doing all the hard work." He glanced over at the two other members of the team, and wasn't surprised to see one 'Ripper' go flying across the room.

He then heard Davis say, "Nice toss, M. Here comes another one." He watched as Davis gave a roundhouse kick to the next one's back, causing it to fly towards Monet. He then saw her punch that one towards the far wall.

He then heard Darrett say, "I hope you all aren't forgetting about a majority of these things." He heard Darrett statement get punctuated by a blow to the stomach. He dared a glance back to see that four 'Rippers' were keeping Darrett distracted, but he could see they were deteremined to do more than distract Darrett. He honestly thought they meant to kill Darrett.

Everett then heard a scream come from one of the 'Rippers' as it staggered backwards in flames, and holding it's chest. He knew what had happened. Richard slashed it with a Penance-type claw, and the flaming sword set the 'Ripper' ablaze. He then saw another Ripper go to fight Richard as Richard said, "We need to do something to change the numbers. Mancer, try to bring in some help." Everett knew it wouldn't be possible for Darrett to bring in help. With all the 'Rippers' attacking him, Darrett wouldn't be able to concentrate.

He knew they needed something to turn the battle around, and was surprised when he heard a voice say, "Hey ugly, what are you things looking for?" When he heard the voice, he knew what was happening. It was Amy using her power; and he realized that somehow, the kids were trying to help, or they were no longer safe. He then saw that the 'Rippers' had paused for a moment. Maybe this was the break they were looking for.

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III. Jack  
--------------------------------------------

Jack looked around for a moment and started to wonder. He heard the girl's voice and wondered if it was Anne. At first, it didn't sound like her, but he remembered what her power was. If it was her, and she was using her power, there might be distortion. He looked around at some of the 'Ripper's and said, "Fan out, check all the rooms, and make sure Cale and them don't get any funny ideas." He watched as three of the 'Rippers' moved to the room doors on the ground level.

He watched as one opened the left door and said, "Nothing here, sir." He watched as the same one looked in the room again.

He then heard the voice again say, "Are you trying to find me?" He watched as the one by the right door opened the door and shook his head.

Jack smiled and shouted to the one at the door in the back of the room, "Open that door, she has to be behind there." He smiled as he watched the last door open. The plan was turing out better than they hoped. He knew Lord Dark wanted her captured, but he had also said that his main intrest was testing the place.

He was startled when that Ripper said, "There's no one in here." Now he was upset. Could Anne be opening and closing her portals faster than they could react? He knew she couldn't do that. When he had first told Lord Dark about her powers, Lord Dark had said her power would take time to open and close a portal, unless someone went through it. Now, he had to quickly figure out what was happening. He knew if the people of the school caught on to the confusion, they would strike.

Soon, he heard the voice again, coming from the left room, saying, "Hey ugly, are you still trying to find me?" He quickly glanced over at the 'Ripper' at the door, and saw him shake his head. That was not a good sign. They were being fooled at every attempted.

Before he could call them back, he heard one of his troop scream. He turned to see one fleeing from the one called Darrett. He also noticed that that one was in flames. He turned to see Richard Cale holding the sword, and saying, "We need to strike now. We've gotten an oppurtunity. We need to strike now." He noticed then that figures were starting to appear, and that they couldn't win against more people.

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IV. Darrett  
--------------------------------------------

Darrett was thankful when Rich struck the one 'Ripper' attacking him. Having a few of them attacking him hindered his ability to concentrate on keeping his summons around. Now that the attacks had stopped, and the 'Rippers' started to back off. He could do something to help out. He looked as the others started to move forward, and quickly summoned forth some of the robots from the Mega Man series. Once they were there, he tried to stand up, but almost fell. He then looked at the two bots and said, "Gemini, help me get up. Gravity, help the others get rid of the 'Rippers'"

He watched as the two bots nodded and went about their tasks. He watched as Gemini cloned himself and the two Gemini bots helped him stand. He then watched as Gravity altered gravity around some of the 'Rippers', causing some of them to float into the air. As they floated, he heard Monet say, "That certain turns the tables on them, Mancer."

He nodded, and then heard Davis say, "Well, it leaves them helpless, but will what's happening to them happen to us?"

Darrett nodded and said, "Yes. I think it will. You may just have to use something to bat them away." Before he could say anymore, he watched as Monet hovered and flew into a trapped 'Ripper' and sent him flying out the one window.

He then watched as Everett did the same, and the two start to knock more and more out. As the two continued, he heard Jubilation shout, "Now that's good team work. I'll keep them blind." He watched then as Jubilation sent out more of her plasma blasts, and made them explode right in front of the 'Rippers' eyes. He watched as many cried out in pain.

He then heard the lead 'Ripper' shout, "Fall back. We need to report back to our master." He then saw the front wall turn translucent, and the 'Rippers' run through it. He also saw the rest of the others start run forward, just as the wall returned to normal. He then looked at the others as they stopped, and wondered how they would give chase.

Before finding out, he motioned over to a chair, and said "Get me to the chair, Gemini. I don't think I can stand for much longer." He felt the twin bots carry him over to the chair, and set him down. Now he wondered what Richard would do.

--------------------------------------------  
V. Richard  
--------------------------------------------

Richard watched as the 'Rippers' ran out and ran to the window. He watched to see them do the same trick to the far outer wall. He went to the door and saw Davis run down and open the door for him. He also saw the robots that Darrett had summoned disappeared. He had to think quick, because he didn't want them to get away. He knew Emplate had to be leading them, and he wanted to know where Emplate called home. He also wanted to be sure they didn't kill anyone else. He glanced back, and saw that Darrett was not in good shape. He glanced back and said, "Jubilee, Synch, stay with Mancer. M, Soundwave, you're with me. I don't want those 'Rippers' escaping."

He watched as Davis and Monet ran towards the door to help him. He knew Davis wouldn't be much help, without some source of music, but he also saw how well Davis and Monet worked as a team. As they ran for the main gate, he heard Davis say, "Hey Skitz, I don't think they were giving their all. I think they were holding back."

He then heard Monet curtly say, "They didn't seem to be holding back on Mancer. They were trying to kill him." He had noticed that as well. He also noticed that Monet still seemed to wonder about Davis. He knew his friend had left his old ways, and the influence of Apocalypse. He also knew that Monet owed her life to Davis. He could tell the others had managed to bury the hatchet, but Monet would take some time to do the same.

As they got near the main gate, Richard just said, "I think you are both right. If they were really giving it their all, I think we'd have alot more to worry about. However, they did seem to want to see Darrett dead. Maybe Emplate told them to attack Darrett, to try and make us think it's not him." He had to admit, it did appear a bit too brutal for Emplate, but he was sure that the five years away from Earth had twisted his mind.

He then heard Monet say, "Well, they did a good job of it. And they did a good job of disappearing as well." Richard watched as Monet hovered in the air, just high enough to look over the edge of the wall. He then heard her say, "Maybe my brother has learned some new tricks. I don't think they can normally phase walls like the one did."

He nodded and then said, "Unless that is power of the leader of that small group. However, I don't think this will be the last time they try something like this." He turned and started to head back in. As he walked, he stopped and looked around the area. They didn't know which way the 'Rippers' went. He looked around to see if maybe one of them dropped something that they could track, or even find out the identity of one of their attackers. He also wanted to know the reason they had attacked. If the attack was to test how ready they were, there had to be something that brought them here.

As he looked around, he heard Davis say, "Looking for the reason they attacked, Richard?" When he nodded, he heard Davis say something that bothered him. "What if they were after one of the students? Some of them would be right what Emplate needs."

He then heard Monet say, "You may be right, Davis. They might be after Prince James. If they nab him, the King might give the country over to my brother." Richard felt himself go pale as he realized what that would mean. It would be the first step for Emplate to conquer the world. Mutants and humans everywhere wouldn't be safe.

He then stood up and said, "Let's not focus on those thoughts right now. Let's double check the yard to make sure we didn't miss anything, and then check on Darrett. We also have one other thing to figure out, and that will be answered by our students." He watched them both nod, and then continued to search. Soon, he'd know why they attacked, and why the students disobeyed orders.

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VI. D.O.A.  
--------------------------------------------

D.O.A. watched as the 'Rippers' fled from the Cale home. When Marius had told him to keep an eye on Richard and his friends, he thought Marius want him to figure out a way to attack them. When he saw the 'Rippers' attacking, he knew he had to notify Marius, and now, he knew Marius would want to hear this turn of events. He quickly activated his communicator, just as one 'Ripper' ran by his cloaked spot and said, "Boss, I have some news for you."

He waited until he heard Marius say, "What have you found out, Donald. I take it the 'Rippers' had left. Did they appear successful?" He knew Marius was worried that if this group was successful, it would mean he would lose out on claiming his old quarry from five years ago.

He watched as he saw Monet rise up over the wall, apparently searching for the 'Rippers.' He then said, "I'm guessing they were successful. However, It looks like Richard called in some help after your little visit. Your sister is here."

He listend for a moment, and then heard Marius say, "Monet is there. That does change things. There must be others there. If he now has a school, he will have called in other Generation X members. What can you tell me of this 'Ripper' group?"

D.O.A. watched as another one ran past, and notice the hands of this one. He remembered that this one had also lead the group. He then said, "You aren't going to believe this, but it looks like they are Emplates as well."

He was almost started when he heard Elane shout, "WHAT? I thought we had stopped them from rebelling. Are you saying that there is another group out there?"

He watched to see if the 'Rippers' kept moving, and then said, "They are Emplates, but the leader isn't one of ours. He's some mutant that can make anything intangable, or something like that. He must be working for whoever the leader of the 'Rippers' is. If it is one of our own group, you might have to take action."

He heard a long silence until he finally heard Marius say, "We must take into account that it could be one of our group, but we must also keep in mind other possiblities. Richard is already thinking I'm leading this group. We may be able to confuse him and his friends long enough to defeat them. However, you better get back here, and work on new methods of spying. No doubt that this will make them come up with better security. Now, get back here."

D.O.A. nodded and said, "Yes, sir. In fact, I've had a few ideas that I'd like to work on. Some that will benifit our group very well." He started to configure the device so he could transport back. He looked around again to make sure all the 'Rippers' had fled. He didn't need to have them know they had Emplate's attention, and his cloaking device wouldn't let him teleport. Maybe if he could tinker with it a bit more, he would be able to not have to shut the thing off. He watched to make sure the coast

was clear, and waited to be sure no one was looking over the wall. He then deactivated the cloak and activated his teleporter. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he was in his lab, and decided to get to work on the new items.

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VII. Jubilation  
--------------------------------------------

Jubilation watched the windows in front and she saw the others looking around. As they searched, she thought about what had happened. She wondered where the voice came from. She had to admit it was good timing for it to happen. She turned back to face Darrett and Everett and said, "Ok, I know the fight wasn't going well, but what exactly just happened here?"

She watched as Darret looked up at her and said, "It was the kids. That was Amy who was distracting them." She was surprised by that. She didn't think the kids could have kept an eye on things, but then she remembered that Tasha was a psi. If it was the students helping, Tasha must have been acting as the leader of them all.

She then heard Everett say, "Wait, Amy doesn't have psi abilities. How could she have known which rooms to make her voice come from?" Jubilation quickly realized her husband forgot about Tasha's psi abilities.

She then looked at the two and said, "Well, maybe Tasha is calling the shots. Yvette isn't about to tell the kids to take that risk. Besides, isn't Tasha the psi of the kids?"

Jubilation wasn't startled when she heard Monet answer, "She is. Yvette and I were training her the other day. Do you think she had something to do with what happened?" She turned to see that Richard, Monet, and Davis had returned from their search.

She nodded and then heard Davis said, "That might explain that odd feeling I had during the fight. I don't know why at the time, but it felt like something was behind my eyes, looking out." Jubilation then realized what had happened. Somehow, Tasha had used her powers so she could see what Davis saw, and then had Amy use her powers to cause confusion in the 'Rippers'.

She then heard Richard say, "That explains why I had heard Amy's voice. I think it's time we tell everyone the coast is clear. I also want to ask the students what they were doing." She then saw him start to lead the way to the secret room they were hidden in.

As Richard led the way to the secret passage, Jubilation rushed to his side and said, "You aren't going to punish them, are you?" When he said nothing, she just said, "They did what they did to save themselves and the school. Also, remember what we all did when we were at the school." She was careful not to say the name of the school, knowing how Richard felt about Xavier right now.

She watched as Richard stopped and said, "I'm aware of that, Jubilation. However, some of them shouldn't be taking that risk. They aren't ready to take on Emplate's minions."

Jubilation paused for a moment and said, "Emplate sent them. Do you think he knew about the students?"

She wasn't surprised when she heard Monet say, "It appears that way, but we also think that he was just testing us. He must have realized after his visit that Richard would call us here." Now Jubilation knew why Rich was so concerned. However, she also knew that Richard wasn't about to punish them for saving their lives. She then followed with the rest as Richard opened the secret passage to the hidden room.

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VIII. Clarice  
--------------------------------------------

Clarice was happy when she saw everyone coming down the steps of the secret passage. It had told her the attack was over, and they had won. However, she was surprised when she saw her husband being helped down the stairs. Whatever had happened in the fight, Darrett had taken the worst of it. She did want to know what had happened as she ran up to her husband and said, "Love, what happened to you up there?"

She wasn't surprised when Darrett said, "Don't worry, hun. I'll be fine in a few days. It just got a bit rough up there." She realized he didn't want her to worry, but she still did. She wanted to know what had happened to her husband.

She then heard Everett say, "Some of the 'Rippers' were beating him up. If it wasn't for the distraction, they might not have stopped."

Clarice was puzzled by this. She looked at all of them and said, "There was a distraction to who, the 'Rippers'?" When everyone nodded, she then said, "What had happened?"

She then heard Davis say, "It was Amy. First her voice came from one room, then another, and then another. Plus, we think Tasha was helping with this."

She gasped when she heard that and said, "I think Yvette knew they were pulling something. She psionically told me that the kids were up to something." She had remembered that, but wondered why she hadn't told them.

She then heard Monet say, "We were so focused on keeping my brother's goons at bay, we might not have noticed Penance's page." She took in those words. For some reason, she thought it was odd that Emplate would focus on her husband.

She then heard Jubilation say, "You know, he might have told them to focus on Darrett so we might think it wasn't him." Clarice didn't understand Jubilation's logic, but in a way it made sense. After Emplate's appearence less than a week ago, they were expecting him to try something.

She then watched as Richard approached the door and said, "Right now, let's just be thankful that this appeared to be a test. However, I need to talk with the students. Maybe some of you should get Darrett to our Med room. He's going to need some time to recover from the attack. Davis, you might have to do a solo lesson. Clarice, if you want to blink Darrett to the Med-Room, go ahead."

She nodded and said, "No, I think it's better we walk. Everett, Jubilation, can you help me get him there?" When they nodded, she started back to the stairs, but glanced back to see Richard heading into the room with Monet and Davis, and she was sure he was getting ready to talk with the kids.

--------------------------------------------  
IX. Tasha  
--------------------------------------------

Tasha Lewis looked up when she saw Richard Cale enter the room. She could tell that he knew about what they had done, and she couldn't tell if he was happy or upset. That had worried her. She also noticed that the others were looking over at him as well. She wasn't sure who would break the silence; but she knew that when it broke, they were going to be lectured. She almost gasped when she heard Amy say, "I take it what we did worked."

She watched as Richard nodded and said, "Yes, it did work. In fact, you're little distraction ploy helped turn the tables in our favor." She wanted to smile at that, but she knew there was more he had to say.

She held her breath as she waited for the other shoe to drop. Tasha then head James say, "Something tells me we are in trouble."

She then heard Yvette say, "You are in a bit of trouble. The reason we brought all of you children down here was to keep you safe, and keep you out of harms way. All of your teachers know about these things, and know what risks are out there. We want you to be safe."

Tasha looked over at the Cales and said, "With all due respect, we were only doing what we could to help. Amy used her power to distract them, and I did my best to watch using Mr. Skinur's eyes. We did what we could to save all of us. Don't tell me that you are going to punish all of us for that." It was then she realized she had raised her voice at the two people who were trying to help her most. She quickly looked down and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to come out so harshly."

She was grateful when Richard put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Tasha, I'm not upset about you raising your voice. However, next time you want to try and help out, talk with which ever one of us is with you. You know that Yvette and I are always in touch with each other. Maybe I should tell you something we have been keeping from all of you. Something we weren't sure how to tell you about." Tasha stepped back, and turned to look at the costumes they had seen when they came in. It looked like they were about to learn the secret behind those very costumes.

--------------------------------------------  
X. Kevin  
--------------------------------------------

Kevin Mitchel couldn't believe what he was about to hear. He was going to learn some of the Cale's mysterious background. He quietly listened as Richard said, "A little over six years ago, Yvette, myself, and some of the others here, were part of a group called Generation X. We were like a younger version of the X-Men. In our time as a group, we had become a family, had our ups and downs, and fought our fair share of battles. I was hoping when I agreed to start this school, that we wouldn't need a team to do the same. However, I think it may be needed now. This team will consist of both the teacher and the students, however, to protect yourselves, we will need codenames. I want each one of you to give me a codename for ourselves." He then watched as Richard said nothing more but looked at them.

He then heard Prince James say, "You know my father won't be thrilled to find this out. I hope you plan on hiding our identities as well."

He was surprised to hear Yvette say, "Don't worry. I know someone who can help us with that. May I make one suggestion. When you pick your code names, make sure they reflect your ability in some way."

He then heard Prince James say, "Then I think I'll take the name Monsoon. It's suits my water based power."

He then heard Anne say, "I think my code name should be Guildmaster. It may not describe my ability, but it's roots are in it." He couldn't figure out why she choose that name, but he saw Richard smile. Maybe he caught the meaning.

He then heard Thomas say, "Well, since my ability is luck, I'll take the name Chance." Kevin had to agree that the name matched the power.

He smiled when Tasha said, "I think I'll take the code name Soulshock. It fits, in a way. Isn't the soul a part of the mind?" He saw Yvette was in deep thought until she nodded.

He smiled when he heard Amy said, "I think I'll make my code name, Voice. I know it's not very creative, but it's my powers to the letter." He had to agree to that, but he also thought her code name was very clever.

He then felt all eyes upon him and heard Monet say, "Well, Kevin, what will your code name be?" It was then he noticed that both Davis and Monet were in the room as well.

He glanced over at the odd costume in the room and thought for a moment. He then closed his eyes and said, "Switchover. It describes my powers, and should warn anyone who may not realize my powers."

He then heard Davis say, "That's a good choice." He openned his eyes and saw Davis turn to Richard and say, "Well, Richard, are they going to be the new Generation X, or something similiar."

He watched as Richard Cale shook his head, "No, I think now the team will be known as the X-Knights." He then saw Richard smile at them and said, "Now, I want all of you to head to your rooms. Over the weekend, we will work on getting your costumes together. We will also tell all of you our codenames then. Some of us may want to change our codenames from five years ago, and some of us might want to pick more original ones. Now, get to your rooms and rest. You've had a very busy day." Kevin watched as everyone started to head out of the room, but before he left, he glanced at the costumes and at the odd black costume. He reminded himself that some day he'll find the secret of that costume, as well as some of the other secrets of the Cales. He could never resist a good mystery.

Chapter End.


	8. Hitting The Fan

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 8: Hitting The Fan

* * *

I. Richard

* * *

Richard Cale entered his office and closed the door. He had just gotten done with a training session with Tasha Lewis. Yvette had warned him about what happened in Tasha's last session, but he was thankful that wasn't repeated. After the attack that happened two days ago, he needed an easy day. However, after going on the Astral Plane, he needed to rest in a quiet room. Even after all these years, the extended time on the plane was draining to him; but that was due to the fact that his wife spent more time developing her powers than he did. 

He walked over to the chair behind his desk, and sat down. Just as he hit the chair, he heard the phone ring. He sighed, hoping that the call was merely someone who dialed a wrong number. He picked up the phone and said, "Cale Institue, Richard Cale speaking."

He was startled when he heard King Edmund say, "Lord Cale. Is everything well there?" Richard was surprised at the worry in the King's voice. He then started to worry, especially with what had happened the past week.

He then thought that the Prince might have called his father. He hoped it was just a panic attack, however something deep down was nagging at him. He calmed himself down before he said, "Yes, Sire. Everything is well here. The Prince is fitting in just well. However, what prompted you to call?"

He was scared when the King said his next words. "I take it you haven't seen the news. I suggest you turn it on very quickly."

Richard did so, and was stunned to see the image of reporter Graylon Walsh on the screen just as the man said, "It has come to my attention that two days ago, there was a 'Ripper' attack at the newly opened Cale Institute. Although we have no reports from the school itself, it is believed that none of the students were lost. However, this reporter has to wonder why no one from the school has said anything about the incident. My own sources only found out about it yesterday evening."

Richard shut off the television and said, "Sire, I'm sorry I didn't notify you, but none of the students were lost. Everyone was kept safe since we found out the 'Rippers' had managed to get on the school grounds. I'm also taking steps to improve security here. The only thing I have to say is that it would have happened in time."

He relaxed when the King said, "I understand. However, I feel you will be very busy soon. Now that the news is out, I believe you will be dealing with all the parents. I just wish I knew how Mr. Walsh found out."

Richard had to agree to that also bothered him. "I'll be looking into that as well. I'm going to have someone check for bugs here. I'm going to gather all the teachers and students around and talk with them. Let's just hope that Graylon Walsh doesn't make any more reports." Richard then hung up the phone, knowing what was going to come next. When the phone rang again, he knew it was starting. He then said in his mindlink to Yvette, _"Yvette, we have a problem. Call everyone together and get to my office."_ He then picked up the phone, and prepared for what was to come.

* * *

II. Yvette

* * *

Yvette Cale sat in the room and looked at Amy Johnson. She knew that Monet was in a nearby room, to help in the training of Amy's power. It had to be the best way to train her powers. She then said, "Amy, I want you to talk to Monet. I won't tell you what room she's in. I want you to use your powers to find her."

She watched as Amy nodded and said, "Alright Yvette. I'll give it a try." She then saw Amy close her eyes and focus on her powers. She wasn't sure if Amy could use her powers that way, but they needed to find out. Yvette waited until she heard Amy's voice coming from the room off to the left saying, "Monet, if you are in there, can you please come out?"

She waited for Monet's response but before she heard it, she heard Richard say in their mind link. _"Yvette, we have a problem. Call everyone together and get to my office."_ Yvette started to wonder why her husband would make that request.

She quickly responded, _"Dear, why the urgency? Has something happened?"_ Deep down, she had a feeling that whatever it was about, it was big. She then thought back to what had happened over the entire week. Her mind focused on only one event that had her husband concerned. She then said, _"Is it about the 'Ripper' attack?"_

She was stunned when her husband said, _"Yes. Somehow Graylon Walsh found out about it and is tell the whole country. Now I'm dealing with the parents on the phone. Get everyone to my office now."_ She knew her husband had stopped communicating on the mindlink at that moment. She figured that with the calls he was getting, he needed to focus on them.

She then watched as Monet entered the room from the right door, and guessed that Amy hadn't picked the right door on the first try. She wasn't surprise when Monet looked at her and said, "What's wrong, Yvette?" She also saw Amy was looking at her as well.

Yvette just looked at both of them and said, "We need to get to Richard's office. Something happened and he needs everyone there." She then closed her eyes and touched everyones minds and said, _"All students and teachers, please report to Richard's office right away. There is a very important issue to discuss." _She reopened her eyes and said, "Alright, let's go." She then got up and led them out of the room. She also hoped that by the time they had all gotten together, Richard would be done with all the phone calls he was getting.

* * *

III. Amy

* * *

As she followed Yvette Cale, Amy Johnson started to wonder what it was all about. She knew that something had upset Richard, and she could tell that it was big. She then said, "Yvette, what is going on? Why is everyone called to Richard's office?"

She then heard Yvette say, "Graylon Walsh just announce on the news that the school was attacked by the 'Rippers'. I think Richard is wondering how Walsh found out. However, that's just part of his problems."

Amy then realized what Yvette meant by that statement. She started to worry, knowing that today the Cale's were supposed to call her father. If everyone now knew about the 'Ripper' attack, that meant her father would be demanding Lord Cale to send her home. She looked over at Monet and then said, "Monet, do you think this will cause the school to close?"

She was surprised when Monet said, "No, Amy. If anything, Richard will argue that this may help the school stay around. If the 'Rippers' were to attack you at your home, do you think you would have been safer?"

She thought about it for a moment and said, "I think I see your point. I don't think any of our parents are ready for that." She then thought about how her father's main concern was her safety. She then lowered her head and said, "However, I doubt my father will see it that way."

She was almost startled when she heard Yvette say, "My husband can usually get his point across. You know when he first contacted me, he was in the middle of the second phone call he got. I think he's dealing with the last one now. However, I think this one is the toughest one."

Amy almost jumped when she heard a muffled shout come from the other side of the door. Whoever Richard was on the phone with was definately causing him some anger. She then felt a chill pass through her. She looked at Yvette and said, "Yvette, do you know who he's on the phone with?"

She was almost startled when she heard a familiar voice say, "Maybe he's talking with your father, Amy." She turned to see her friend, Kevin Mitchel standing next to her. She also saw the rest of the students, as well as the teachers, had gathered around. She then heard the running of little feat, and saw the little kids come running, as well as Grimore. Seeing all the people at the school here told her that Richard was going to find out what had happened to let the new school become a major news source.

It was then she heard the door to Richard's office open, and saw him step out of the office. She watched as he looked over everyone and said, "Everyone, step into my office." She could tell by the tone of his voice that this impromptu meeting was very serious. She then watched as Richard stepped back into his office.

* * *

IV. Kevin

* * *

Kevin Mitchel walked into the office, along with everyone else, and he was worried. He didn't know much of what was going on, but just from Richard's tone, he could tell something was wrong. He watched as everyone just went to a spot and stood. He noticed the little kids were standing with Yvette, Darrett and Clarice. He also noticed that most of the teachers were standing next to each other. The only ones who weren't standing with one another was Davis and Monet, who seemed to be on opposite sides of the room. He saw his fellow students had all congregated together. He then turned towards Richard and wondered what was going on. He was almost started when he heard Prince James say, "What is this all about, Lord Cale?" 

He was taken back when Richard said, "I just got done with five phone calls. The first was from your father, James. He notified me that Graylon Walsh was doing a story on the 'Ripper' attack from two days ago. After that report aired, I called everyone here. However, I also had to fend off calls, and defuse some upset parents. I've manage to calm them down, however some were ready to pull some of you out of here." Kevin noticed that Richard was looking at Amy when he said that.

He quickly looked at her and softly said, "I told you." He then turned to face Richard again and said, "Do you think one of us had told someone about the attack?" Deep down, if he were in Richard's shoes, he'd suspect the same thing.

He saw Richard nod and say, "I won't ignore the possiblity that it happened. However, I have other suspicions. Of course, I must know if any of you have said anything about the attack to anyone."

Kevin looked around and saw all the kids shaking their heads, including the little ones. He then looked at the teachers who also shook their heads. It was then he knew that somehow, the news had gotten out. He then noticed a look of panic on Tasha's face, especially as she said, "Did the news say anything about the X-Knights?"

He knew what she was getting at. After the attack, Richard had said they would be a team known as the X-Knights. He also heard Thomas say, "If the news mentioned that, then our parents would be extremely upset." He then saw Richard shake his head, and heard Thomas sigh in relief.

He then heard Jubilation say, "So, now what are you going to do, Richard?" He noticed that everyone was looking over at Richard. He didn't envy the spot Richard was in. He wouldn't know what he would do if everyone was looking at him for advice.

He watched as Richard said, "What I am going to do is have newer security measures put in place. I'm going to get the security system upgraded, and make sure this school is secure from anyone breaking in, or getting the truth out." He then saw a look of relief on the students' faces, but noticed on some of the others in the room a look of concern. He started to wonder what Richard might have in mind.

* * *

V. Monet

* * *

Monet St. Croix wasn't surprised when she heard about the newer security system. After the 'Ripper' attack, she figured Richard would be looking into improving security. However, she didn't expect that the world would have found out about the attack. When she was sure Richard was waiting for a comment, she said, "I take it the security system will be set to the teachers and students to pass by it." 

She watched as Richard nodded and said, "Yes. The students will know how to arm and disarm it, but not to shut it down. Further disarming will be give to some of the teachers. I will be calling Forge to come here and set up the system. Forge will also be doing some other modifications to help in training the students." That news didn't totally surprise her; however, the security news did surprise her.

Before she could ask about that, she heard Jubilation say, "Richard, are you going to have a 'Danger Room' put in?" She then noticed the quizzical looks that all the students had. She knew that the kids knew about Generation X, but not everything had been told to them yet.

She then noticed the quizzical look on Davis' face. Part of her wanted to smirk at his confusion, but she had to think of him as an ally now, and not as an enemy. Over the past week, it was still hard for her to seperate the two. Everyone else had forgiven him, but even though he had saved her and Yvette five years ago, she didn't fully trust him yet. She then heard him utter the question that was probably on everyone's minds. "Excuse me for asking this, but what is a 'Danger Room'?"

She noticed that the students were starting to ask the same thing, especially when she heard Anne say, "Yes, what is it, and why such an ominous name?" Although she had never thought of it before, Monet now found herself thinking the same thing. She could also the students appeared more nervous.

Before any other questions could be asked, she saw Richard look at the little kids, and said specifically to his son, "Son, why don't you, Joleen and your sister take the other children to the game room I had set up last night. I'm sure they could use something to relax their nerves."

She watched as the boy's eyes lit up and saw him run to the door, with the other little ones in tow. She then heard him say, "Come on. My dad set up a game room with all these video games. He said there is something there for all of us." She then noticed that the students were reluctant to follow.

She then heard Yvette say, "Go on. We need to talk about some things in private." She then watched as the students left, and then saw as Yvette closed the door. She then saw Yvette frown as she said, "I think the term 'Danger Room' got some of them worried. Now, I think you are wondering why Richard has limited the security system. I knew about it, but I'm sure you all have questions." Monet nodded, as well as some of the others in the room. She also noticed that Yvette had walked over to Richard's side. Monet had the feeling that both of them knew how the security system would be set up.

* * *

VI. Davis

* * *

Davis Skinur realized when Richard sent the kids out of the room, it was so they could talk about certain things. He glanced over at Darrett, glad to see that he was at least able to attend a meeting. He then looked at Richard and said, "I take it you are setting up security and are going to leave..." 

Before he could finish, he saw Richard raise his hand and said, "Before you say anything, Davis, I want you to check the room. I'm still not sure how Walsh found out about the attack, but right now we have to be careful of what we say. If you can check for bugs, do that first."

He nodded and glanced over at Clarice, who was standing by the stereo. He watched as she turned it on and the room was filled with a haunting melody. As it played, he focused on his powers. As the music fueled his powers, he focused on locating any listening device. As the music continued to play, with the haunting violin music in the background, he scanned and finally shook his head. He then said, "No listening devices in here. The room looks secure."

He saw Richard nod and then said, "Good. Listen, before any of you ask. All of you will be able to arm and disarm the alarm. Total shut off will be limited to Yvette and myself. As for disactivating safety devices, only Jubilation, Everett, Clarice and Darrett will be able to do that. I take it there are some questions."

Davis nodded and spoke right up. "I have one. I understand why you left me off that list, due to my past. However, why did you leave Monet off?" He saw a surprised look cross Monet's face. He was sure that she still didn't trust him, but he was also sure that in time she would. He actually found her very attractive, and hoped there would be a chance at a future together for them.

He was surprised when he heard Darrett say, "It's about Claudette. Since she's around and a twin of Monet, she could bypass the security system. It's a good security precaution. However, we should do something about how Graylon Walsh found out."

Davis nodded and said, "Agreed. I know this room is clean, but we can't be sure about the others. If we can't find the bugs, who knows what might happen." He knew how bad things could get if people found out what happens at the school.

He wasn't surprised when Richard said, "Imagine what would happen when everyone's backgrounds become well known. The fact that Davis is a former criminal. The fact that Darrett and Clarice come from alternate dismal timelines. Even Jubilation's past with the X-Men can come into public knowledge. Even what Yvette and I do shouldn't be known by everyone. We all have secrets that could devastate the school."

He wasn't surprised when he heard Grimore, the cat, say, "Unfortunately, in this enlightened day, people still frown on magic. What we all know exists would cause histeria around the world." He nodded, remembering the shock he experienced when Richard and Yvette told him of what the Cale family dealt with over the centuries. He then said, "Right now, I think you should all check the school all over. I'm sure each of your powers can help take care of the problem."

He nodded and went to head to the door. Before he touched it, he heard Richard say, "Before you go, Davis, Jubilation, and Monet, did you all decide on new code names?"

He was surprised when he heard that. He knew that Jubilation had asked to change her code name, and Richard wanted him to change his, but Monet was a complete surprise. He then heard Monet say, "I was thinking of changing my code name to Lady X. I know I have all these powers, but M just doesn't seem right anymore." He looked at her and had to agree. The name seemed better for her.

He then heard Jubilation say, "I want to be called Lightshow. If we go around, and someone calls me Jubilee, they may make the connection. Besides, it better describes my power."

He watched as Richard turned to him and said, "I think I should be called Harmonic. It sounds a lot friendlier than my old code name." He gave a wry smile, but saw nods of approval from everyone.

After that, he heard Richard say, "Alright, all of you try to find any bugs in the place. I need to make one last phone call." Davis walked over and opened the door, and everyone rushed out. He also wondered how many bugs they would find.

* * *

VII. Thomas

* * *

Thomas Jacobs couldn't believe what he saw then the little kids led them to game room that was set up. The room had a few televisions set up, and on each one was a gaming system. He was surprise that Lord Cale had all of these systems, especially the older ones like the Nintendo Entertainment System. As he looked around, he heard Anne say, "Are all these for us to use?" 

He watched as Richard Cale III nodded and said, "Yes. I helped my father set them all up last night. He even included a library of games for each one." He watched as the boy then opened up a cabinet under one of the systems and saw a bunch of games

He then heard Prince James say, "He has something for everyone. Look at his selection for the Gamecube." He glanced over and saw that James was looking at the games for the Gamecube. He also saw that Tasha was also looking at the games with some curiosity. Something about the way she looked at them made him wonder if she ever had a gaming system.

He then heard Amy say, "He's got a lot of multiplayer games here. I wonder if he wants us to also use some of these to learn teamwork." He then watched as she pulled out a game for the Playstation 2. "Anyone up for a game of Gauntlet?" He was a bit surprised at her choice, but didn't want to fault it.

He then saw that Kevin, Tasha and James had joined Amy as she started up the unit. He also noticed that Anne had pulled out one of the Resident Evil games and started up the Gamecube. He should have realized that Anne would play that. He just watched as she started playing, until he felt a slight tap. He turned to see the three little ones looking at him, as the little girl named Ashley said, "Will you play Mario Party with us?"

He nodded and said, "Sure." He then noticed that one door in the room that was blocked off. He looked at the door and said, "What's the reason for the door over there? Why is it blocked off?"

He then heard Joleen say, "Uncle Richard has something planned for that room. He said something about making the games fully interactive." He then watched as the Nintendo 64 game started. As they played, he looked back at the door, and wondered what the daughter of Darrett and Clarice meant by what she said about the room, and wondered if it had anything to do with the 'Danger Room' that Jubilation had mentioned.

* * *

VIII. Graylon

* * *

Graylon Walsh entered his office after the news report was done. He knew people had questions about how he got his information, but a reporter's sources were confidential. Besides, people didn't need to know his success was linked to his assistant. He was an expert reporter, but his assistant is what lead to his greatest success. When he closed the door, he did notice the room wasn't silent. He heard his phone ringing. He smiled, knowing it might be a lead to another story. When it came to anything with mutants, or linked to mutants, he covered it. In fact, part of it was because he was a mutant. He walked over to the phone, hoping for another story linked to the Cale Institute. He prepped himself for the call and picked up the phone. "Hello. Graylon Walsh speaking." 

He was struck silent when he heard the voice on the other end say, "Greeting Mr. Walsh. This is Lord Cale. I see you decided to bug my home in some way. I hope you are aware of the trouble you have caused the new school. I hope you realize that you will be in trouble for what you did."

He took acception to that and said, "Now listen up, Lord Cale. The public has the right to know what is going on up there. I did nothing wrong by reporting it." He knew that there was no way Cale could do anything to him. Cale was also a focus of his, especially since the latest member of the Cale family became the royalties chief advisor.

He was startled when Lord Cale said, "Oh really. My private home is in your domain. I know that you could not have bugged my home in the past week, so once I find the bugs, you will be in trouble. That is a violation of privacy, and I will have you arrested. You might want to think twice before you do a story on info I haven't made public. Remember that, Mr. Walsh, since if another story about the school or my home goes out, I will know you have bugged my home, and have you arrested." He heard the phone disconnect, knowing that Lord Cale hung up.

He hung up the phone, and started to wonder. It was true that there were no bugs in the Cale Institue, but that didn't mean that he was in the clear. He had to think of a better way to do the information gathering. He leaned on his desk and said, "Alex, will you get in here now."

He waited a moment, until he heard his office door open and close, and heard Alex's pleasant voice say, "You needed to see me, Mr. Walsh."

He nodded and looked over at Alex. He then said, "It looks like Lord Cale is upset about our spying. We may have to find a new way to get the information about the Cale Institute. I was thinking that maybe you need some schooling for your unique gift." He smiled when he said that.

He watched as Alex said, "You mean send me to the school to learn about my remote hearing ability. It's a good idea, sir." He nodded, and then heard Alex say, "But won't they make the connection of me to you, sir."

He shook his head, already knowing how to handle it. He then said, "You will be there under the name of Sam Cain. No one will be the wiser. I want you to get some stuff together. It will take a few days to get the information together, but before the week is over, the Cale Institute will be welcoming Sam Cain to the school." He watched as Alex nodded and left the room. He knew he'd lose out on some things, but maybe he needed to get back in the field to get information. He also smiled knowing that at any time, he could tell Alex to call him, and know a phone call would happen in no time. Besides, there were no bugs to link back to him. It was the perfect way to get information about the school.

Chapter End


	9. New Tools

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 9: New Tools

I. Tasha  
----------------------

Tasha Lewis stood next to Yvette Cale, and she was a bit worried. The last time she was at the airport, Henry Edwards had attack the people she had met there. Now she wasn't even supposed to be there. As she stood there, she quietly said to Yvette, "Lady Cale, your husband managed to get me sanctuary at the school. I should be back there."

She then heard Yvette say, "I know, however, you will best recognize Henry if he approaches us." She then saw Yvette watching the door where the plane passengers would appear from.

She glanced around again and froze when she saw the video camera. When she saw it, her heart froze. She then heard some footsteps come up behind her, and dared a glance back. Part of her relaxed when she saw it was Richard Cale. She saw a look of concern cross his face as he looked at her and said, "Is something wrong?"

She nodded and said, "The security cameras. They are going to show I was here, and I'll have to go back to my parents. I don't want to go back there." It was here worst fear now that she was at the school. She didn't want to face her parents' wrath if she was forced to go home. Just thinking about it made her shudder in fear.

Tasha was startled when she felt Richard put a hand on her shoulder. "Relax, Tasha. The cameras aren't even recording your image. Also, Yvette has a psi blind up, so anyone looking at you does not see you, unless they are meant to. Does that make you feel any better?"

She looked again around the airport, and looked directly at one of the workers. She watched as he looked in her direction, and she sensed that he couldn't see her. She then looked at Yvette and asked, "Is there a way you can teach me that, Yvette?"

She watched as Yvette nodded and said, "Yes. It took me years to learn how to do it. Psi powers are not my main power, so it took me a while to learn. You, however, might pick it up very quickly." That surprised her. Even though she had only been at the school a week, she thought Yvette's primary ability was psychic powers.

She then looked at Richard and said, "Richard, what does she mean by that?"

She watched as he looked at her, and then motioned to the door and said, "Well, it all has to do with where Yvette and I met. In fact, Yvette didn't know she had psychic powers, and if you don't take our word for it, you can ask him." She followed to where he was pointing, and was surprised to see two people walking down the long hallway leading from the plane. She could easily tell the one with mechanical limbs was the legendary Forge, but the one that Richard was pointing to was the man with orange hair. She thought for a moment until it dawned on her who the man was.

II. Sean  
----------------------

Sean Cassidy was nervous. This was the first time he'd see his adopted daughter since what had happened almost four years ago. However, he was surprised to get into a plane with Forge. As they headed out of the plane, he looked at Forge, who had been quiet for most of the part of the trip they were in the plane together, and said, "Forge, why are you here?"

He was almost startled when Forge said, "Well, your son-in-law asked me to improve his security system. He also asked me to make some things for his new school." That news surprised him. When Yvette had called him, she had said that they wanted him to visit for a while, and to talk about things. He never knew that there was a mutant school in England, but he was aware that Xavier was trying to push for one here.

As they walked forward, he saw Richard and Yvette. He then noticed a young african girl was standing with them. He started to wonder if she was one of the students at this school. His thoughts were cut short when Yvette ran forward and embraced him in a hug, saying, "It's nice to see you, father."

He returned the hug and said, "It's nice to see you too, lass." He then looked over at Richard and said, "I'm glad to see ye as well, Richard. It's been a long time since we last spoke face to face. You need to bring me up to speed on somethings, like this school Forge mentioned."

He watched as Richard nodded and said, "We can talk about all that in the car. It's not best to talk about the school issues here. By the way, Sean, how is your neck feeling?"

When Richard said that, Sean rubbed his neck, especially right over the scar from the attack he suffered years ago. He weakly smiled and said, "It alright. However, it's did do a number on me powers. Looks like no one will hear the Banshee's wail ever again." He chuckled a bit at his own gallows humor, and saw everyone there smile.

He then noticed a slightly panicked look on Yvette's face, especially when he heard her say and point, "Richard, I think we should get going. I think some unwanted company is approaching."

He noticed Richard glance in a direction and nod, saying, "Don't worry. I saw him, and if he gets too close, our driver will take care of it." Sean was puzzled by the remark, and then did a quick look around. He didn't see any menacing people around. He did see some people walking towards the area, but none that looked dangerous.

Sean then turned to Richard and said, "Lad, what are ye talking about? I don't see who has ye concerned." Be quickly shut up when the man he saw approaching suddenly had a microphone in his face. It was then he realize that the unwanted company was a reporter, and probably a pain to his adopted daughter's family.

III. Graylon  
----------------------

Graylon Walsh couldn't believe what a simple trip to the airport could turn up. When he had come to the airport, he was determined to find out about events that happened last week. However, when he noticed Richard Cale and his wife there, without the bodyguards they had, he was curious. He was surprised when he finally saw who they were waiting for. He recognized the face of Sean Cassidy. A few years back, he had begun a news story about the militant group known as the X-Corp. He smiled and then started to head to the small group. He also knew that Lady Yvette Cale had seen him. He knew very little about Lady Cale, but he wondered if any of it was related to Sean Cassidy. He decided to take advantage of the situation and pull out his tape recorder with an old style microphone and put it in Sean Cassidy's face, saying, "Pardon me, Mr. Cassidy, but do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your X-Corp?"

He watched as Sean Cassidy staggered back for a second before saying, "I'd rather not talk about it. Now if ye don't mind, I'd rather be left alone about that."

Graylon didn't move, but smiled as he said, "Well, I'd like to do that, but I have an audience that would love to hear about the X-Corp, and why the infamous leader of the X-Corp is meeting with the Royal Advisor." He then turned and faced Richard Cale, and said, "Do you have comment about that, Lord Cale?"

He was a bit surprised when Lord Richard Cale just glared at him and said, "Are you follow us now, Mr. Walsh?" He could have sworn that Lord Cale said it more as a threat instead of a question.

He smiled and said, "To be honest, no, I wasn't following you. I heard about a very odd occurrence that happened here a week ago. Aparently, there was a bit of an occurrence relating to a mutant attack. Of course, when I saw Mr. Cassidy there, I smelled another story. However, I think the public would like to know why you are meeting with the leader of the infamous X-Corp."

He was surprise when Lord Cale smiled. Something didn't seem right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He then heard Lord Cale said, "I can sum it up in a few points. One, Mr. Cassidy had not headed that group in years, since one of the people in that group attacked him. Second, he's here to visit his family, and recoupe from his tragic accident."

Graylon was startled by what Lord Cale had said. He leaned forward and said, "Are you saying that you and Sean Cassidy are related?" As he said it, he left a smile creep across his face. If that was the case, he knew that the school might even be a front for a new X-Corp.

He watched as Lord Cale shook his head and said, "No. We are not related by blood. The only relation is that my wife is his adopted daughter. Now, I suggest you leave us be right now."

It was then that Graylon noticed the other man next to Sean Casssidy. Once he took a good look at the man, Graylon knew Lord Cale wasn't telling him everything. He quickly said, "Don't lie to me, Cale. You have Forge here, and it's obvious to me that you have something planned with that school of yours. Now tell me the truth."

He watched as Lord Cale turned to usher the people out of the airport, and heard Lord Cale say, "I told you the truth, but you don't believe it. Of course, it's not like you have any proof for your lies."

Those words scared him a bit. He quickly rewound the tape he had recorded everything on, and was startled when he played it back. He only heard his words, and no one elses. He looked up to see the people he was just talking to walking out the front door. "Damn it. I don't know what you did but I know you are behind it." He then looked up once again, and saw a girl of African decent appear with them. He felt his jaw go open when he saw her, especially when he saw her in the tapes of the incident from last week. Now he knew for sure that the Cales and their school was somehow linked to last weeks incident, but frowned, knowing that Lord Cale was right about one thing. He had no proof.

IV. Davis  
----------------------

Davis Skinur sat in the back of the vehicle that Richard had driven to the airport. He had put his CD player on the seat in the middle, and was listening to the haunting melody from the soundtrack of one of his favorite games. Of course, the reason he was listening to it was so his powers would keep the image of Tasha Lewis off all recording devices. However, when Richard informed him of Graylon Walsh's appearance, he had to mask all of them from the recording devices. He also knew he might not be well welcomed when they got back to the car, but he knew it would work out. When he heard the vehicle door open, he turned off the CD player and said, "Welcome back, everyone."

He heard a gasp of surprise come from Sean, but he heard Tasha say, "Thank you, Davis. I'm glad you could help keep me hidden from view."

He nodded and said, "Anytime, Tasha. Hello Sean, nice to see you again." He then watched as Richard and Yvette got in the vehicle, followed by Sean and Forge. When everyone was in, and the doors were closed, he said, "You might want to get out of here fast. While I was waiting for you all, I saw some of the 'Rippers' abduct someone. One of them was the one leading the group that attacked the school." He saw Richard nod, and heard the car start.

As he felt the car move, he saw Sean turn and look at him, saying "What the blazes are ye doing here?"

Before he could respond, he heard Yvette say, "Richard asked him to help with the school. In fact, the incident that Walsh mentioned ended positivily when Davis came to the rescue."

He then noticed that Sean had relaxed as he heard him say, "Sorry about the shock then, lad. I've had to deal with a few betrayals the past few years."

Davis held up his hand before Sean could continue and said, "It's alright. That was the past, this is now. Did Richard tell both of you why he asked you here?" He knew the reason, but he wasn't sure if the others knew the reason.

He then heard the man named Forge say, "Richard had told me on the phone that he wants me to work on the security system and also some improvements at the school."

Davis nodded with each point, and then said, "Yes. In fact, Richard thinks that Graylon Walsh had bugged the home, however, I couldn't find them using my powers." He felt ashamed by that, but if they were well made, it would take a concentrated effort of his abilities.

He then heard Richard say, "It's alright, Davis. Once we get back to the school, Forge can work on stopping the bugs. If you couldn't find them, that just means Walsh has a sophisticated way of bugging places. However, we just want to be careful. Also, Forge, I'd like you to help design a training room of sorts for my students. I have a room all picked out for it." He saw Forge nod and he watched as Richard then said, "Sean, I did have one question for you. We did mean to invite you here to visit with us all, however, I was also wondering if you could help us get some team uniforms together. I don't think some of us can use our old Generation X uniforms, and some others need a different outfit." He noticed that Richard was looking at him in the rear view mirror and smiled. Davis smiled back, and realized that Richard was trying to make him feel more like a team member.

* * *

----------------------  
V. Freeze Frame  
---------------------- 

Freeze Frame made his way through the special lair that Emplate had developed for them. As he walked toward the room that was D.O.A.'s tech lab, he wondered why the little mutant wanted to talk with all of them. As he continued walking down the hallway, he wasn't startled to see Vincente silently floating aside him. Over the past five years, he had developed a friendship with the older member of Emplate's group. As they continued down the hall, he heard Vincente say to him, "Any clue why our Master's technical wizard wants all of us there?"

Freeze Frame shook his head and said, "No clue. However, I am glad Emplate is back. Some of the followers have been getting very restless."

He watched as Vincente nodded and replied, "Part of it is due to you, I'm afraid. I don't view it that way. You proved your worth to Emplate at the time he needed it most. In fact, I'm honored that you are in the same rank as I." He felt honored by the words.

He then heard a chuckle come from Vincente and looked at him. He saw Vincente return the look. He then said, "What's so funny, Vincente?"

He was stunned at what Vincente said, "You know, when I was first recruited, Emplate had a servent who was similar to your Britney. She was a willing feast, and followed her master's orders. In time, Emplate tried to turn her, but then she disobeyed him. When everyone realized that Emplate no longer had any feelings of love for her, we all tried to prove ourselves worth of having her as our slave. Of course, something happened just after I earned that chance."

Freeze Frame now realized why everything had happened the way it did. Emplate's other minions were jealous of him. He was also curious about Vincente's little tale. He look at his equal and said, "What had happened?"

He watched as Vincente smiled and said, "She had escaped. The master still wants to get her back, however, he doesn't need her mutant powers anymore. I think all it is now is that she broke free of his control."

He nodded and then pushed open the door to D.O.A.'s lab. He was surprised to see Britney already in the room, and she was wearing the gloves that D.O.A. had made for her years ago, except they looked different. He also saw Emplate and Aura in the room as well. When the door closed, he heard Emplate say, "Alright, D., what do you have for us?"

He watched as the little man nodded and said, "I've been busy working on some devices to help handle this new group called the 'Rippers'. Also, I have developed some items so we can continue spying on Cale's new school. I'm sure everyone is aware that seven members from Generation X as now at the school."

Freeze Frame had remembered hearing that, and nodded. He then said, "I remember you saying that, and that the 'Rippers' appeared to be a group like us. So what did you come up with?" He didn't like speaking out of turn, but he saw Emplate nod in agreement with him.

He watched as D.O.A. grinned more than usual and said, "Well, for one, I have improve Britney's gloves. In fact, Aura, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to attack Britney." Freeze Frame felt a wave of panic go through him as he watched D.O.A. and Britney both look at Aura. He hoped that whatever D.O.A. had up his sleeves, that it worked.

VI. Elane  
----------------------

Elane Bonstein looked over at D.O.A. with a puzzled look. She didn't like being put in a position where she was attacking one of her lover's followers. She glared at D.O.A. and said, "Why should I do that? She been very loyal over the past five years." She had been thankful for that during Marius' absense. It was actually difficult not having other women to talk to in Marius' lair.

It was then she heard Marius say, "I think D. has a very good reason for asking you to do that. In fact, I think Britney is expecting it." She watched as Britney stood there, ready to defend herself.

She then heard Britney say, "Come on, Aura. You don't want to make Emplate upset." She could tell Britney was mock taunting her, but she knew everyone was expecting her to attack Britney.

She then glanced at Britney and said, "Alright, Feast, you asked for it." She saw the stunned look on Britney's face as she said the codename the girl was dubbed with. She then pushed her hands forward, and with it, pushed the aura around her hands forward. She was stunned when Britney held up her hand, and the gloves started glowing. She was then surprised as she felt herself getting pushed back. She stopped using her powers, and looked at Britney, stunned.

She then heard D.O.A. say, "As you can see, I've improved her gloves. Now they can mimic any power used directly on her. The only draw back is that it can't handle psi powers. However, I am working on something to handle that. I can make it to shield her from psi powers, but it will take time to make a helmet that can counter a psi attack."

She listened as Marius said, "A wise move, D. Besides, we should have the helmet tested on various different psi mutants. I'm sure you remember your cousin's psi abilities work differently than other psi mutants." Elane then remember that D.O.A. was cousin to Yvette.

She noticed that Britney had walked over to Freeze Frame's side, and heard Freeze Frame say, "D., what if the mutant power isn't directly used on her? I mean like someone creating a split in the ground, or levitating something with their mind." It was then she noticed a worried look on D.O.A.'s face.

Elane then heard Marius say, "I do believe that D. said that the gloves worked with direct attacks. I'm sure he will find a way to protect your prescious minion, Freeze Frame. However, I think we should focus on spying on our enemies. I'm sure Skitz already suspects we were behind the attack, and he's probably taking more precautions than normal." She then watched as D. smiled and started to head towards the back of the room, to what looked like a large picture frame.

VII. Marius  
----------------------

Marius looked on as D.O.A. walked over to the odd frame like structure and said, "Allow me to show you my window to the world, so to speak. This little item will allow us to view in any window in any building."

He looked at it, with a slight bit of skeptisism, and said, "Exactly how does it do that, Donald?" He used D.O.A.'s real first name to hint to the little mutant, that he wasn't upset or doubtful, but curious.

He watched as D.O.A. started to fiddle with some controls, and said, "Well, it works on linking to the glass of a window, and allowing the light coming from inside to travel through a portal in time and space, and set the image here."

He then heard his beloved, Elane, say "What about sound? Will we be able to hear what they are saying?" He had to admit, that thought crossed his mind as well.

He then saw D. go to a panel and open it up. As he worked with the insides of the device, D. said, "That's not a hard adjustment. Sound can be transferred in waves just like light." He then watched as D.O.A. continued his work in a blur of activity. Soon, the little technical wizard closed the panel and said, "That should do it. Shall I turn it on?"

He nodded and said, "Indeed, and if you can, try to get an image from Cale's household. I'm sure he's going to be jumpy after the 'Rippers' attacked him I want to know what he has planned."

He then watched as D.O.A. started to enter some information into the machine. As he did so, he saw a small screen next to the frame show a three dimentional image of the Cale household. He then watched as one of the windows on the image started to flash. As it did so, he saw an image start to form in the frame. As he looked on, he saw a long hallway, and saw three teenagers at the far end of the hall. He also saw a few doors in the hallway. He turned to D. and said, "Is there anyway you can set up one of these to work with doors, like a teleporter?"

He saw D.O.A nod and say, "It may take a few days, but I can set something up. Are you thinking of a way to sneak in to the place?"

He nodded and said, "Yes. Richard has apparently opened a new school, and judging by the three walking towards the window, they have some interesting powers to sup on." He heard some of the others laugh as he said that. He also noticed that Vincente seemed quieter than the rest. Marius then remember the vow he made after Yvette injured him all those years ago. He then inwardly smiled, knowing that Richard would not willingly switch from good to evil, which left only one choice to him. He would kill Richard, and then capture Yvette. He then said, "I'm sure that in time we all will have what we want." He then watched as the three teenagers, one girl and two boys, neared the window. He also wanted to know what they were thinking.

* * *

----------------------  
VIII. Kevin  
---------------------- 

Kevin Mitchel walked down the hall with Amy Johnson and Prince James. As they walked, he heard James ask, "Do we know how well Darrett is doing?" He understood his classmates concern. Earlier in the week, the 'Rippers' had attacked, and injured Darrett. It was Richard's orders that he spend a few days resting before teaching again.

As they continued walking, he heard Amy say, "I spoke with Clarice earlier. She said that he'd be able to help tomorrow. He and Davis make a good teaching team. I wonder how they had met."

He looked down the hall and sighed, thinking about what they learned on Wednesday. He then said, "Maybe they were all members of Generation X. It only makes sense. They must have all fought side by side. Maybe they all went to school at the same time."

He then heard Amy say, "You know, that sounds nice. I mean look at all our teachers. Most of them are married to each other. They must have fallen in love at school. Do you think that might even happen to all of us here?"

Kevin raised his head and looked over at Amy, and was surprised to see a look of love in her eyes. He had always cared for her, but he did his best to keep his feelings secret. His only concern was that her father didn't like him. His parents adored Amy, and he knew her mother liked him. He weakly smiled at her and said, "Anything is possible. Of course, personally I think that some of us might have gotten together without attending the school." He saw that Amy was blushing as he said that.

When they reached the window, he looked out and saw the vast grounds of the school. He had heard that Cale family home was one of the bigger estates in England, but he never got a chance to see it's real size. He then remembered when Lord Cale had allowed the town to hold their annual festival there. He started to wonder about if it would continue, when he heard someone running down the hall. He turned with the others to see Anne come running up, saying, "Tasha and the others are back. You won't believe who all is with them."

He watched as she turned around and headed in the direction of the main hall. He heard the others start to follow as he went after her. As they ran, he heard James say, "Who all is with them?"

He listened as Anne said, "Well, I recognized Forge, but the other guy is a bit unknown to me. All I remember is that he has red hair, and that he must be Irish. I could tell that when he said hello to Thomas and I." He started to wonder who the other guy was, and then remember that Yvette had said that she knew someone who could help them. He wondered who it could be.

When they finally reached the main hall, he saw all the other teachers flocking around all the people who had come back from the airport. He then saw Richard looking up in their direction and heard him say, "Kevin, James, Amy, get down here. I'd like you to meet the people who are going to help us out here. I'd like you to meet Forge and Sean." He started to head down the steps with Amy and Anne, responding to Richard's prompting. He did stop midway down the steps when he realized that James hadn't moved. He turned and saw that James had a bit of a confused and upset look on his face. He then looked over at the man Richard had identified as Sean, and wondered why the man looked familiar to him as well.

IX. James  
----------------------

Prince James couldn't believe what he was seeing. Even though he was a teenager and royalty, it made him pay attention to the news. He was stunned when he recognized the man who had arrived with Forge and the others. He just stood at the top of the steps and said, "Lord Cale, do you know who that man is?"

He watched as Lord Cale nodded and said, "Yes I do. His name is Sean Cassidy, and I take it you've paid attention to the news."

He nodded and said, "Yes I have. He was the leader of that X-Corp. You want to trust that man around all of us. I've heard of the brute force methods that group used. You can't believe that he could help us."

It was then he noticed that Sean Cassidy had lowered his head as if in shame. He then heard the man say, "I don't blame ye for thinking that. When I founded that little group, it was shortly after someone I cared about was killed. I'll admit that it wasn't my best idea, but I paid enough for my foolishness. Ye see lad, it cost me my own mutant power." James was shocked when he saw Sean look up at him, and showed the scar along his neck.

He then heard Richard Cale say, "Sean isn't an evil man, James, and every one of us who are teaching you can vouch for that. Sean was one of our teachers and supervisors of Generation X. He taught us to use our powers to help mankind. Now, if you choice not to believe me, James, you can take the word of Lady Cale." He watched as Lord Cale gave him a very stern look.

He started to climb down the steps and looked at Yvette. He could tell she was upset with him as well. James carefully chose his next words, to avoid making the whole situation worse. "Lady Cale, how do you know he's good?"

He felt her stare at him, and he could tell she was a bit upset as she said, "I know he's a good man because he is my adopted father. He took me in when I was rescued from the person who had abused me. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be the woman I am today." James felt ashamed for his accusations. He should have realized that the Cale's wouldn't have picked someone they didn't trust to teach at the school. He then heard another sound, and turned to see Tasha was stepping through a side door.

James decided to follow her. He knew that they might need a moment to recover from his outburst, but he felt that Tasha was upset about something. When he entered the next room, he saw her sitting in the corner. He walked over to her and asked, "Tasha, what's wrong? What has you upset?"

He was stunned when she looked him in the eyes, and he saw her tears. He listened as she said, "Yvette was just like me. My parents don't care about me. They tried to control me, and tried to make sure I could only turn to them. She knows what I've been going through. I just hope that Graylon Walsh didn't see me. He probably knows I'm a student here now. If anyone knows I was at the airport, my parents might be able to force Cale to give me back to them."

He walked over to her and took her right hand and said, "Tasha, I don't think Lord Cale is about to let that happen. I think he will do what he can to make sure you stay in a happy home." He then looked into her eyes again, and as he did, he thought he saw something special in her eyes.

* * *

----------------------  
X. Tasha's Father  
---------------------- 

Anthony Lewis walked with his wife to the location they had found out about only a few days ago. One week prior, his mutant daughter had managed to escape his control and make her way to the Cale Institute. Her doing that had ruined all their plans. However, they were adaptable. As they neared the place, he heard his wife say, "Do you think we'll be able to properly change our plans now?"

He nodded and said, "I have no doubt that we can salvage our plans. We set things up to frame Lord Cale. As we ruin his 'good' name, we get our daughter back, and then claim he did something to her. It would ruin the Cale's, the King, and maybe we'd get a proper leader in charge of this country. It will allow us to get a real human in charge of this country, not a human being manipulated by a mutant."

He watched his wife smile. That was part of the reason he loved her. She also knew the proper order of things. As then reached the door, she just said, "We are going to set things in motion to improve our country, and even the world."

He nodded and said, "Yes. Who knows, maybe once the new order is in place, we'll be in a place where we can make those rotten mutants pay. They don't deserve to be compared to us. They are unnatural."

He wasn't surprised to hear a new voice say, "I'm glad you agree. You'll both make fine additions to our group." He nodded and then follow the man who was waiting at the door for them. As they walked inside, they saw what looked like several old suits of armor. The only difference in all of them was that all the swords had the letters 'KOH' in red letters. He wasn't surprise to find a huge number of people in the room that the hall emptied into. When they stopped, the heard the man say, "Welcome to the Knights Of Humanity."

Anthony smiled and said, "Thank you for letting us join." He then picked up the small pins with the same red letters on them. He then handed one to his wife and said to the man, "You won't regret inviting us in." He then gave the man a smile, and that smile told the man that the plan would succeed.

Chapter End


	10. Unexplained Occurances

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 10: Unexplained Occurances

I. Yvette  
--------------------

Yvette Cale walked into the private bedroom she and her husband had and closed the door. She then sighed as she said, "I wish 'Dad' would have told me how hard it was to teach us." She then walked over to the dresser, with one thought on her mind. She was going to head down to the pool room and get in the jacuzzi. She walked over to the dresser and pulled out the swim suit she had gotten for their last trip away. As she pulled out the two piece suit, she smiled thinking about how she and her husband, Richard, never got to the beach that day. However, just as she was about to change, she heard the one phone in the room ring.

She turned to face it, and shuddered when she saw which phone was ringing. It was the one that rang when someone needed the Paladin's help. Ever since they had moved to England, that phone had rung at least twice a year. Today was the first time it had rung this year. She walked over to it, still carrying her bathing suit, and answered the phone. She took a deep breath and said, "How can the Paladin be of service?"

She wasn't surprised when the voice said in a panicked tone, "Someone found a demon in our town. They barely escaped with their lives. We need him to destroy the foul beast."

Yvette quickly grabbed a pad and paper and said, "Alright, describe the creature if you can, and we will be there as soon as posible." She then listened as she heard the person describe the creature. With everyword she heard, Yvette shuddered. When the person was finished, she just said, "Alright, we will be there as soon as possible."

She then heard the person say, "Are you sure? I mean I'd feel bad if that thing did something horrible to you." Yvette shuddered when the person said that, but knew she didn't have to be afraid. She had helped handle things like this before.

She also realized that she could feel herself tensing up. She took a calming breath and said, "I'll be fine. The Paladin and myself have handled things like this before. We know exactly how to handle a creature like this. Now, relax and we will be there as soon as possible." She then hung up the phone, and sighed. She realized that there was no rest for the weary. She then glanced down at the floor, and saw the top of the swim suit she had been ready to get into, on the floor. She then noticed that she had indeed tensed up, when she saw that the strap that went behind her neck had been cut in two. She sighed again and then said in the mindlink with her husband, _"Dear, someone just called for the Paladin."_ She then turned as she heard the door to the room open, and saw Grimore walking in. As she watched, she wondered two things. The first was if he knew about the call, and the second was how he was able to open the door.

II. Grimore  
--------------------

Grimore walked into the room after pushing the door open. He had used his own limited magic powers to turn the doorknob. As he padded into the room, he looked over at Yvette and saw a distressed look on her face. He quickly leapt onto the bed and walked to the edge of the bed. When he got there, he looked down at the floor, and then sat down on the bed and said, "I thought you learned not to wear that swimsuit after the last vacation." He noticed her look hadn't changed and finally said, "What is bothering you, Yvette?"

He watched as she looked at him and said, "There has been a call for the Paladin. Apparently a demon of some sorts is running loose in a town. All I have is a description, but something bothers me about it."

He looked at her and said, "I take it must have scared you, or else you wouldn't have ruined that particular swim suit." He glanced at the part on the floor again and then said, "Why were you going to wear that anyhow? You remember what happened last time you wore it."

He watched as she nodded and then said, "Actually, I was going to get in the jacuzzi. I wanted to relax after all that happened the past coulple of days." Grimore nodded in understanding. He knew that everyone was going through alot lately, and he was also aware that more was on the way. He then watched as Yvette put the paper she had written on in front of him and said, "What do you know about this thing?"

He looked over the description that she had written down and sighed. "I know alot about this thing. It's a demon that most of the Cale's have encountered. It is called Sen, and it is a very unusual demon. Most demons when destroyed do not come back. Sen is a demon who keeps coming back. The only way to totally destroy it is if some mortal is controlling it." He watched as Yvette shuddered again. He then said, "What else has you worried?"

He watched as Yvette turned to face the mirror in the room and said, "The person on the phone talked like the creature would attack me in a way I'd rather not be attacked."

Part of him wanted to laugh at that but he didn't. He then said, "That is just an old stereotype. Ninety nine percent of all demons don't do that sort of thing, and Sen is definately not one of those rare demons. Now, Yvette, maybe you should prepare to take care of this demon. I have a feeling your natural talents are going to be very useful against this demon."

He then watched as Yvette looked at him and said, "Alright, but why don't you tell me how you were able to open the door. I know it was closed tightly."

Grimore felt a wave of panic run through him. This was the first time any of the Cale family had ever questioned how he moved about. He was then thankful when he heard someone enter the room, and turned to see that it was Richard. He was even more relieved when Richard said, "All right, tell me what is going on?" He knew the question would wait until next time to be answered.

III. Richard  
--------------------

When Richard Cale had first heard that something was up, he dismissed the class for the day. He didn't want to, but Yvette's tone told him it was urgent. He looked at her, and then down at the floor before he said, "Let me guess, you were about to go to the jacuzzi when the call came." When she nodded, he just looked at her and said, "You should have called me for that instead of a call for the Paladin."

He didn't jump when he heard Grimore say, "Lord Cale, you know that your duty as Paladin comes first." He turned to face Grimore, and watched as the cat shrank back a bit and said, "Sorry, I didn't realize you were teasing her."

He then turned to his wife and said, "Now, what's the deal? Do we know anything about why they need a Paladin?" He watched as she nodded and then pointed to the paper on the bed.

As he walked over to it, he heard her say, "Grimore knows something about the creature. I'm sure he can enlighten you on it."

As he read over the creatures description, he said to Grimore, "Alright, my fine feline friend, what do you know about this thing?" He glanced at the cat again, waiting for a response.

Before too long, he heard Grimore say, "It is a creature your grandfather and great-grandfather had run across before. As I told Yvette, it is named Sen. It is unusual for a demon because unless it is controled by a mortal, it can not be completely killed."

Richard sighed and said, "So what you are saying is that we are looking at a temporary peace when we destroy the thing. I don't like the sound of that with Claudette's group starting to resurface, and Emplate and his 'Rippers'. What's next, a doppelganger, a new mutant hate group, or are we due for an encounter with an alternate timeline where everything is different." He then walked over and looked in the mirror, saying, "At least we will be able to stop this problem before it gets too bad. Are you up to it, Yvette?"

He heard her sigh as she said, "Yes I am. I hope we can handle this fast, because when we get back, I may just slip into the tub and relax." He inwardly smiled at the thought of his wife relaxing in their bathroom, but decided not to say them out loud. She then said, "Question is, who are you putting in charge?"

He looked at her and said, "The only person who knows how to run things. I just hope she's up to the challenge." He then said psyonically, _"I want all the teachers to meet in our bedroom. This is very important."_ He knew it wouldn't take long for everyone to answer to it.

It was at that moment that everyone started to enter his room. Once everyone was in, he heard Davis say, "Richard, what's wrong?"

Richard watched as all the teachers stood together before he said, "There has been a situation that Yvette and I must handle. We need to leave for a bit. Until we get back, I'm leaving one of you in charge."

He watched as everyone stood back, and then heard Clarice say, "Wait a minute. Either Darrett or I should go with you." He shook his head and head Clarice say, "I take it is a job your family must take care of." When he nodded, she stepped back.

He then said to her and Darrett, "Besides, Darrett still isn't ready to go into a situation where a battle may occur." He watched as Darrett nodded, and he continued. However, since I need to go, I need to put someone in charge. I have decided that Jubilation will be in charge until Yvette and I get back. Are there any questions?" He watched the looks over all the teachers, and had a feeling that one person might have something to say.

IV. Monet  
--------------------

Monet St. Croix looked at Richard in shock at what she heard. She couldn't believe that he wanted to put Jubilation in charge. She then said, "Richard. Are you sure you want to put Jubilation in charge? You remember what she was like back in school."

She watched as Richard nodded and said, "Yes, but I also know what she has been doing over the past five years. She is vice president at the branch of Paladin Technologies where she and Everett work. Speaking of which." She watched as Richard turned to the two of them and said, "Will you two be able to keep up with things being here in England?"

She watched as Jubilation said, "I can handle it for now. I'll also tell them to give Everett some extra time off. In time, he might have to drop the job." As Jubilation spoke, she felt a flush of jealousy and anger at that. Even though it was years later, she still had feelings for Everett, and she hated that Jubilation had him.

She was then surprised when Everett said, "If I have to drop the job, I'll drop it. This is more important, especially since Emplate is back." It was then she remembered the simple fact of what had brought them back together. The return of her brother, Marius St. Croix, known to the world as Emplate.

She was startled when Richard said, "Alright. Monet, I want you to head down to the library and look up anything about something called Sen. If my ancestors encountered it, they will have info down there. Yvette will keep a psi-link with you so we can keep up to date on things. Now, we must be going. I trust there are no other issues."

Monet decided to stay quiet on that. She knew she could get past those pains of jealousy and such, but to voice them in the wrong way might hurt what Richard was trying to do with his school. She watched as Richard and Yvette left the room, and decided that she needed to at least get her books. She quickly left the room as everyone else did and headed back to her room. As she headed there, her hearing picked up on someone following behind her. She had a feeling she knew who it was. When she had reached her room door, she grabbed the door knob and said, "Why are you following me, Davis?" She turned her head and noticed the surprised look on his face. She then started to wonder more about why Davis was following her.

V. Davis  
--------------------

Davis Skinur had been shocked to see that Monet had noticed him following her. He did want to talk with her, bet he didn't want it to be like this. He wanted it to be more casual. However, he had no choice but to say, "I just wanted to talk with you for a moment, if you don't mind."

He watched and could feel a cold personality form in her. He had a feeling that of all the people here, she might not forget about his past. He then heard her say, "I hope this won't take long. I do need to get down to the special library."

Davis nodded and said, "I'll make this quick. First of all, I wanted to say that we made a good team back when the 'Rippers' attacked. I know I couldn't really use my powers then, but I'm glad my fighting skills could help."

He was stunned when Monet just nodded and said, "Well that wasn't something you had to say in private. Is there anything more important you wanted to say?"

He nodded and said, "Yes, Monet. I can tell you aren't totally all right with me here, but I'm not the person I was years ago. I've paid my debts and have been improving who I am. Since I broke free of Apocalypse's influence, I've been a better person. I've been helping at Godiva's museum and trying to be a better person."

He was relieved when Monet dropped part of the cold act as she said, "And that is commendable. However, after what you did to the others, and what you contemplated doing to me when Generation X had it's first encounter with you, it will take time for me to fully trust you."

Davis nodded and said, "I understand. However, may I say something about that and about when I helped rescue you." He watched as she slowly nodded and he said, "I know that back when we first met, I threatened to do something very wrong. I'm glad I never had to go through with that. I don't know what I was thinking then, but I do remember that the sensable part of me knew you were a beautiful person. In fact, that's why I saved you from what the Dark Beast wanted to do to you." He saw a shocked look cross her face, and he just lowered his head. "I guess part of me has a crush on you. I know you've hadn't had an easy time of life, but I want you to know that you helped make me regain my better side."

He started to turn to leave, but heard Monet say, "Wait. Davis, it is sweet what you said, but you know it's going to take time for me to be comfortable with you on the team. Who knows, maybe in time, we might go out, but right now, it's not possible."

Davis smiled a bit at that and said, "Fair enough. I'm glad we could talk for a moment. I'll let you head down to the library. Listen, if you ever need any help with anything, feel free to ask me for help." He then left the room and headed back to his room. As he headed there, he thought that due to their departure, Richard and Yvette would have cancelled the rest of the day's classes. He then entered his room, and pulled out a copy of one song that meant more to him than any other. He then turned off the lights in the room and laid on his bed listening to Gordon Lightfoot's song about the Edmund Fitzgerald.

VI. Kevin  
--------------------

Kevin Mitchel walked down the hall way that all the teachers' rooms were in. He knew that Richard and Yvette had left a while ago, and that Jubilation had said the rest of classes were cancelled for the day. Since that was the case, he decided he was going to find out more about Yvette, which meant talking with one of the teachers that he figured knew best. As he headed to the room, he heard Amy Johnson coming up behind him. He glanced back and said, "I was wondering when you were going to get here."

He heard her say, "I didn't realize you were coming here now. Tasha and I were just going over our notes from our history class. Besides, do you really think that finding out about Lady Cale's background will be that enlightening?"

He nodded and said, "Yes. Remember that all the time we've been here, Lady Cale never told us completely about her powers. We know she has psi powers, and I'm guessing she has a healing factor as well. The only times she was in the hospital was when she had her children. What about the other power she mentioned? I think they are linked to that costume that was down in the secret room."

He watched as she stopped walking, standing near the door to the Thomas's room, and said, "I figured this was related to that. Alright, but why not ask one of the other teachers? Why ask Everett?"

He smiled and knocked on the door, saying to her, "Simple. Clarice and Darrett won't say anything. Davis is in his room, playing music. Monet and Jubilation are busy. The only other person I could think of is Everett." He stopped talking when he heard the door to the room open, and saw Everett at the door.

He smiled when he heard Everett say, "Amy, Kevin, is there anything you need help with?" He also noticed that Everett had motioned for them to come in.

As they entered the room, he heard Amy say, "Well, Kevin had a question he wanted to ask you?"

When Everett had closed the door, he looked at them and said, "What's the question?" Kevin knew this would be the time he would find out the truth.

Kevin looked at Everett and said, "Everett, what can you tell us about that strange black costume that was down in the room? Something tells me it was Yvette's, but I'm not sure?" Kevin knew he was right about the costume, when he saw Everett's eyes go wide. He hoped he was going to find out more about Yvette's abilities.

VII. Everett  
--------------------

Everett Thomas felt like he was a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car. He stepped back, and said, "That is a loaded question, Kevin. Are you sure you want to hear the answer?" Deep down, he figured that Richard and Yvette wanted to keep certain things about her past secret, which included her imprisonment at the hands of Emplate.

He watched as both Kevin and Amy both nodded. As they nodded, he heard Kevin say, "She didn't tell us everything about her abilities, and when I saw the costume, I was curious."

Everett nodded and said, "Sit down, and I'll tell you what I can, but it will involve a bit of background." He watched as both sat on the small couch in the room, and he started to pace as he spoke. "Years ago, there was an incident related to an alien called Phalanx. In that time, they seemed focused on mutants as a way to assimulate Earth into it's collective. It was trying to capture various mutants, and had succeeded in capturing a few of the students that would become part of Generation X. Eventually, Professor Charles Xavier, and some of his X-Men, managed to rescue most of the students, and he openned Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Snow Valley, Massachusetts. That's how our previous group came into being."

He saw the awe and surprise in Kevin's eyes. He was also surprised to see that Amy was the one to raise her hand and say, "Wait a minute. You said Generation X was affiliated with Xavier. Why is it that Lord Cale's school isn't linked to Xavier?"

Everett sighed at that and said, "Well, that's a bit simpler to explain." He stopped pacing for a moment as he thought about that fateful day. It had been the day of Darrett and Clarice's wedding, and the day that Generation X had thought they were rid of their main foe. He then looked at the two students and said, "Well, on the day our school closed, one of our main foes attacked. He had captured Richard's cousin's significant other. He then used their power on all the psi mutants there. Richard used his power to take on Xavier's ability and stopped them from losing control. During that time, Richard found out about Xavier's concern and got the feeling that Xavier didn't fully trust him. With Richard, trust was a very big issue."

He then heard Kevin say, "Is that why Lord Cale opposed Xavier putting a school in England?" Everett nodded at that, but was surprised that Xavier was asking to put a school in England. As he thought about that, he wondered if it was Xavier's way of trying to come to terms with Richard.

He then heard Amy say, "Maybe he was still hoping for that. Anne told me that two of the X-Men were trying to recruit her for Xavier's school. She even remarked on the man's native accent, and that the woman had an American Southern accent."

Everett tried not to laugh about it, but he did manage a smile. He then said, "It sounds like Paige and Jonothan. They were both students with us. They had gotten accepted into the X-Men."

He was then startled when Kevin said, "I'll admit this is interesting, but how does this relate to Yvette? Was she one of the students that the X-Men rescued from the Phalanx?" Everett inwardly swallowed, and realized that he would have to tell the truth behind Yvette, and how she ended up joining Generation X.

VIII. Amy  
--------------------

Amy listened as she heard Everett sigh and heard him say, "No, Yvette wasn't one of the students that the Phalanx had captured. You must understand that Yvette doesn't want to talk much about her past. It's not something pleasant. She was held captive by another foe of Generation X's. In fact, that black costume was what she wore for a long time."

She gasped when she heard that and then said, "You mean it was like prison clothes?" She watched as Everett nodded and then said, "So Generation X rescued her from that foe."

She then saw Everett shake his head as he said, "Not exactly. That foe had tried to abduct someone else, and while we were fighting to save him, someone had delivered Yvette to our door step. For a long time, she was called by the word that guy had said. After that, she tried to run away from the school. Of course, someone talked her into not fleeing, and she remained."

She was startled when Kevin said, "Let me guess, Lord Cale." Amy was shocked as Everett shook his head. She then heard Kevin ask, "You mean Lord Cale didn't start off as part of Generation X?"

She watched as he nodded and said, "No, Richard came to the school later, and managed to bring about the woman that Yvette is now. Before, she was skittish, scared, and would lash out at any perceived threat. After that, she was friendly, a bit shy, but also due to events at a slumber party, she was self-conscious."

Amy was in shock, and said, "I find that hard to believe. Every time I saw her in town, she wore such nice outfits. I can't believe she's self-conscious. What could cause that?"

She heard Everett sigh again as he said, "It's linked to her main power. You see, Yvette can make her skin so tense that it can even cut diamonds. Not much can withstand her skin when it's like that. She also appears a bit smaller in size. In fact, many of us were so used to seeing her smaller form that we forgot that she doesn't use her powers all the time. However, at the slumber party I mentioned earlier, she had a nightmare, and she had tensed up. Her night clothes had ripped, and everyone saw her au natural. I've heard about this from my wife, but after that happened, Yvette was very self-conscious."

It was then she heard Kevin say, "So that explains why she never uses her powers. She afraid of being in a state like that again." She watched as Everett nodded a little. He then said, "I take it she's also afraid of hurting people like that."

She saw Everett nod and say, "Yes. It's more that then ruining clothing, because she's had a lot of clothing specially made." She watched as Everett just looked at them and said, "I hope you don't need to know any more." She could tell he felt ashamed for having told all that.

Before Kevin could say anything, she stood up and said, "No, that's enough. We're sorry to have asked all that. We won't tell them you told us." She then turned to Kevin and said, "Let's go."

As they left the room, she heard Kevin say, "We could have found out more." She held up her hand and he realized what she meant. She then heard him say, "You think we should try to find out more elsewhere?"

Amy nodded and said, "Yes, besides, I'm starting to want to know more about Lady Cale, as well as Lord Cale. Maybe there is someplace we can find out more about them without asking anyone here. Remember what Mr. Thomas said, 'They don't like talking about their past.' Most likely, they had some tragedies happen." She then led them back to the dorm part of the school, and hoped that they could solve the mystery that Kevin had come upon.

IX. Graylon  
--------------------

Graylon Walsh walked into his office with all the information that he needed. It was now time for him to put his new spy plan into motion. He had finally gotten all the documentation saying that Sam Cain was a new student. He knew that all he had to do was set up the arrival at the school. He then sat down and said, "Alex, are you ready?"

He waited until Alex entered his office and said, "I'm ready, sir. Do you mind me asking how this will work?"

He shook his head and said, "Not at all. In a few moments, I'm going to call the school, using this voice masker, and enroll you in the school. Once you get there, I want you to be listening to everything. Also, keep your ears open for me. I'll tell you to call me once a week. Is that understood?"

He watched as Alex nodded and said, "Understood, sir. If you don't mind me asking, do you think they might get suspicious when they hear about my power." He had thought about that one, and knew Alex had a good point.

Graylon then said, "I'm sure that someone will speak. Not all of them can be psychic. Now sit tight for a moment while I make the phone call." He then watched as Alex sat down in the nearby chair, and then dialed the number for the school.

He waited for a moment and then heard someone answer, saying, "Cale Institute, Mrs. Jubilation Thomas speaking."

He was at a loss for words for a moment, and was reminded of an old cartoon he used to watch before he finally said, "Yes, my name is Jonathan Cain. I'd like to enroll my child, Sam Cain in the Cale Institute. I hope that won't be a problem."

He was glad when he heard her say, "It will be no problem at all. However, it would be best if they arrive over the weekend. That way they can get settled in before classes start for the next week."

Graylon smiled as he said, "I understand. Sam will be there on Saturday. Sam will also bring all information that is needed. I hope that will be all right."

He waited as the woman said, "That will be no problem. I will tell Lord Cale about your child's upcoming arrival. Have a good day."

When he heard the phone hang up, he smiled and looked over at Alex and smiled. "It's all set, Alex. If I may recommend something, I want you to keep an ear out for Sean Cassidy. I don't know how long he's there, but I want to know everything about his link to the Cales. Understood?" He watched as Alex nodded and smiled again. Now things were going to be different about getting info about the Cales.

X. Kiana  
--------------------

Kiana Asahara walked around the small British town that her quest had lead her to. A few months ago, her father was killed by a demon. What was worse was that the demon was controlled by someone who could control demons. Her quest had tracked the demon to this town. As she walked through town, she heard one of the townsfolk say, "I heard someone called the Paladin to come take care of that thing. Do you think he'll stop it."

She heard another townsperson say, "I hope so. I think the person that called was that one visitor that arrived a few days ago. She was one of the few people that remembered all the details of the creature. It was good she wasn't attacked. The two others are still in the hospital."

Kiana shuddered when she heard that. She was positive that her quarry was here. Then she listened as the two talked about the creature. Everything she heard confirmed her conclusions. It was the same creature that killed her father. When she had looked up the creature, she found out it's name was Sen, but not much else. She then walked over to a quiet corner and turned on her cell phone. Before long, she dialed the number for her home, and waited. Before too long, she heard her mother pick up and say in their native language, "Hello daughter. What did you find out?"

She kept her voice calm and said, "Arisa's here. She's using that demon of hers to terrorize a small town in England. I've heard that someone is coming to try and stop the creature. I'll do my best to help them capture her."

She then heard her mother say, "Be careful, Kiana. That demon is dangerous. I don't want to lose you to it like I lost your father."

Kiana sighed and said, "You won't mother. I won't rest until Arisa is made to pay for her crime. Once that is done, I'll will return home to Japan. Now I want you to rest. I will phone you again when I know more." She hung up the phone and started to walk through town. As she walked, she hoped she would find where Arisa was hiding. If she could stop Arisa and Sen, then she would have avenged her father's death.

Chapter End


	11. Hidden Truths

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 11: Hidden Devils

---------------------------  
I. Arisa  
---------------------------

Arisa Shimanouchi stood by the abandoned warehouse, wearing a long overcoat, and a hat that hid her face. She had to keep her face hidden, or one of the people in the town would connect her with the recent creature sightings. When she first received the letter requesting her help, she was surprised by it. Only certain people knew about her mystical gift, and not many could afford her fee. However, this person was promising her more than money. This person was promising her a chance at finding more demons for her to control. To her, it was a dream come true.

She was almost lost in thinking about those dreams when she noticed two people approaching. The way they approached, she could tell they were a couple, however her attention was drawn to the African woman. While the man, apparently blond, looked like he dressed like every other person in the town, the woman stood out. Her blouse looked like it had belonged in a science fiction movie that she had caught part of. When they were close enough, Arisa looked at them and said, "I take it you are the ones who called for my services."

She watched as the woman nodded and replied, "Yes, Ms. Shimanouchi." She noticed the guy hadn't nodded, but the woman said, "He's deaf and mute. The only way he can communicate is by sign language or by psi. You'll get to experience that alot since both Golden and I are mutants."

She was a bit stunned by that news, but not surprised. She had never worked with mutants before, but decided this was best. She was aware that her cousin was following her, and she knew her cousin wasn't totally accepting of mutants. She then looked at Golden, and said to the woman, "I take it Golden isn't his real name."

Arisa waited until the woman responded, "No. If you must know, his real name is Sean Rogers. My name is Claudette St. Croix, however for as long as you are with us, you may call me Chani. There are others in our little group, and you will meet them later. Now, how soon will our targets be arriving?"

She smiled and said, "They will be arriving in a short while. I take it this is the building you want them to encounter Sen in. If you don't mind me asking, how did they get in your way?"

She watched as Claudette smiled and said, "I will explain that later. Right now, we need to get everything ready. I don't want them arriving and realizing this is a trap. Now, can you get Sen here?"

She nodded and said, "Yes I can. Please stand back." She watched as they did so, and then pulled out a slip of rectangular paper, and drew a symbol on it. She tossed it to the ground, and started chanting the invocation to summon Sen to her side.

---------------------------  
II. Claudette  
---------------------------

Claudette St. Croix stood and watched as the paper started to have a blackish smoke come out of it. As the smoke continued to billow out, she glanced over at Arisa and saw the look in the girl's eyes. When she had first found out about the girl's mystical abilities, she knew the girl would be one to help her. In fact, ever since her defeat five years ago, her underground activities and spies allowed her to find out about many potential allies. She was glad she was going to make Arisa one of her allies, especially when the demon came into view. When she saw it, it looked almost like a man, except it had four tentacles sprouting from it's back. She then watched as it turned towards Arisa and said, "What is your wish, Mistress?"

She watched as Arisa looked at it and said, "Sen, it's time for you to do the thing we've been leading up to. Soon, someone will be here to fight with you. I take it you know what must be done." She watched as the demon nodded, and then heard Arisa say, "I'll be out here. You are to follow Chani in and listen to her orders. Is that understood?"

She watched as the demon nodded and said, "Understood. Am I dismissed when the task is done?" She wondered why the creature asked Arisa that, and then realized that Arisa might not be willing to give her full control of the demon.

Claudette then heard Arisa say, "You are dismissed when Chani leaves the building, or if things go terribly wrong. Now go with her, and listen to her orders." She watched as the demon nodded and then followed her and Golden into the warehouse.

When they were in the main part of the warehouse, she said, "Listen Sen. Golden and I will be in the one room in the back. When our quarry enters the warehouse, the place will go silent. That will disorient our foe, and make it easier for you to destory them."

She saw Sen smile at those words, especially as the demon said, "It is an honor I'm looking forward to. My kind tells many tales of the Vanquisher. I would like to be the one that ends their line, especially after my past encounters."

She was surprised by that news, but decided not to press on about it. She then said, "Fine, Sen. Just remember, you remain until I leave the warehouse, or something happens. When I leave, you are dismissed." She watched as the demon nodded at that. She then said, "Golden and I are heading for the back room. One more thing, I want Lady Cale alive, understood." She watched as the demon nodded.

She then lead the way back to the back room, and as they walked, she heard Sean say psionically, _"Are you sure about trusting that demon, Claudette? What if it tries to violate her?"_

She smiled as they stepped into the back room and said, _"I did find out somethings before I recruited Arisa. That demon isn't like how your videos portray them. It won't violate her in that way." _She then closed the door and turned to him, with a slightly devilish smile and said, _"Are you ready to hear what you must do, my lover?" _She watched as a grin crossed his face. She knew he would like to hear this part of the plan, and even what they would do while they waited.

---------------------------  
III. Sean  
---------------------------

Sean Rogers smiled as he thought of what Claudette had in mind, but it also worried him. Ever since the incident over five years ago, Claudette had to wear that special outfit, or else the formula that was injected into her would permanently rob her of her powers. The only downside he knew was that while she wore it, the suit caused pain to maintain her power and figure. He looked at her, and psionically said, _"Claudette, what do you have planned?"_

He watched as she looked at him, and smiled the smile he liked most. He then heard her say, _"Very simple. You notice the little mail slot in the door. Prop it open. That way when you activate your powers, the whole place will be silent."_

He understood what she aimed for by doing that. The silence would be thought of as part of the demon's powers. He then thought for a moment, and remembered what he had read in the demon's lips as it spoke, and said to Claudette, _"Skitz might be aware that the demon can't do that. The demon even said that it had past encounters with his family. They probably took notes, and would realize it."_

He noticed that she physically sighed. He realized that it was something she hadn't taken into account. He watched as she started to pace, saying _"That means Yvette will probably be scanning the area, and she'll focus on us. I'm going to have to make sure there is a mind block in place."_ He then watched as a frown crossed her face as she looked at him. _"Looks like we won't have any fun while we wait for them."_

Sean nodded and responded, _"It's probably for the best, my love. Besides, we can't risk you being with out your ability right now. If something were to happen to me, like my power being exposed to a boundry break, you would have to help get me out of here." _As he finished communication that, Sean started to panic, and began pacing. Those times the limits of his sound cancelling field had been forced to extend to a limitless area, he was doubled over in pain.

He then felt Claudette's arm around him, as she said _"Don't worry, my love. Remember that in case anything goes wrong, we have two aces waiting and watching. Quinn and our new man, Henry, is waiting in case something goes wrong, and we need to escape." _He took a calming breath when she told him that. He knew that she tried to always have a back-up plan, just in case something went wrong. That had always been the case, except for what had happened over five years ago. He then heard her say, _"You better start getting ready. I can sense Skitz and Penance approaching. I'll mask our minds from her probing, but I think we have another thing working in our favor. There is another person hiding in the warehouse. They snuck in after we came in the room here."_

He smiled when he heard that. If the person was an innocent, Skitz and Penance might work to protect the person. He then said, _"It might keep them distracted from destroying that Sen thing. However, let's just hope it's not another who is hunting demons."_ He glanced back to see Claudette give him a discouraging look. He then wondered if his suggestion was jinxing this task. He then prepared for when they needed the sounds to stop.

---------------------------  
IV. Richard  
---------------------------

Richard Cale pulled the car into a parking lot near the warehouse, where the person who called them said the creature would be. When he had finally parked the car, he looked out at the place, noticing the door was open a crack, and seeing a young Asian girl pacing the lot. He then shut down the car, and said to Yvette, "Anything from Monet, hun?"

He watched as Yvette shook her head and said, "I can't keep a link with her. We are too far away from the castle. If I try to keep in touch with her, I won't be able to do anything else. I didn't realize we'd be so far from the castle."

He nodded and said, "When we get back, maybe you should work on extending your psi-powers range. I know we can be this far apart and still close to each other with our psi-link." He then opened the car door and said, "Well, let's take care of this creature." He then got out of the car, followed by his wife, and walked over to the Asian girl. When he was facing her, he said, "Are you the one who called for the Paladin?"

He watched as she nodded and said, "Yes, my name is Arisa. I was the one who saw it when the first people were attacked. It was horrible. The thing lashed out with several tentacles. It looked a bit humanoid, until the tentacles appeared. I think the people it attacked thought it was a person." He then noticed as the girl shuddered as she said that. However, something bothered him about that shudder, like it was forced.

Richard then heard his wife say, "Don't worry, Arisa. You also said the demon would be in this warehouse. Was that correct?" He watched as Arisa nodded, and then heard Yvette say, "So the demon is in there? Do you know if there is any hostages in there, or if the demon has enslaved anyone?"

He watched as Arisa shook her head. That was a relief. Having innocent lives in the situations made doing this stuff harder. He then nodded and said, "Arisa, my wife and I are about to head in. When we head in, close this door. It should limit the ways the demon can escape." He did a quick glance then to see that the only windows were small enough to let light in, and high enough not let anyone climb in them. He then turned to his wife and mentally said _"Do you want to go in with claws ready?"_

He heard her respond, _"No. We should keep some surpirses in store. If your family has encounted this demon before, it shouldn't be aware that we are mutants."_ He knew his wife had a point. They figured the demon was one his family had encounted before, and that it's name was Sen. They also knew that he was the first mutant in his family to hold the title of Paladin.

He then headed into the warehouse, with Yvette following, and turned back to the girl and said, "If we do not exit in fifteen minutes, call for help. We have friends who can help us." He then turned and started deeper into the warehouse. As they slowly moved, he heard the door closed, and then motioned to his wife for silence.

Soon, he saw the demon, and was surprised when the demon just smiled at them. He then saw as four tentacles appeared as if from the creatures back. Before he could think of a response to the threat, he saw one of the tentacle smash a crate, and realized there was no sound. He felt his eyes go wide, and glanced at Yvette who just looked at him in shock. He then heard her say in their mindlink, _"There's no sound. This was a trap."_ He nodded and realized that everything that happened was to lure them into a trap, and that Claudette St. Croix was behind it.

---------------------------  
V. Kiana  
---------------------------

Kiana Asahara watched from her hiding spot. She had snuck inside after she saw the demon entering the warehouse, following two people. She had been sure one of them was Arisa, but realized she was mistake when she heard the man who had just entered speaking with her. She had been closer to the door than the other two were, and heard it close and lock. Just after it locked, she noticed all noise in the place had disappeared. She started to wonder if Sen was doing this, but then she noticed the look on the two peoples' faces. They had some clue to what was happening. She also realized that their moment of panic left them wide open for an attack from Sen. She watched as one of Sen's tentacles came down at the two. She held her breath as she saw the two dive off to seperate sides. When they both recovered, she saw the man's sword go ablaze in a red fire. She realized that this man must be the Paladin that one of the townspeople spoke of.

It was then that Sen started a sweeping attack with his tentacles. She watched in awe as the Paladin jumped the one tentalce, but looked in horror as one of the other ones smacked into the woman, and watched her fall. She noticed a brief look of grief on his face, and then relief. She dared a quick glance back and saw the woman get up, and briefly rub her side. She also noticed that Sen was surprised at that. She then saw Sen raise his tentacle up to whip down on the woman again.

Kiana knew what she had to do. She leapt out of her hiding spot, and threw one of her throwing knives at the tentacle. She smiled as blade struck the tentacle and caused it to move away. By the time Sen had pulled it back to check it out, she had landed in front of the woman. She glanced back at the woman, and saw a surprised look on her face. She then glanced over at the Paladin, who motioned at her and then pointed to his head. Before she could figure out the meaning of the action, she heard a woman's voice say, _"Who are you?"_ She went to say something, but heard the voice speak again. _"Don't speak it, think it. I've set up a psi-link between you, myself and my husband."_

Kiana didn't know what to think of that, but started to worry. The only time she had heard the word psi was usually in reference to mutants. When it came to mutants, she tried to avoid encountering them. It wasn't that she hated them. She just didn't trust them. Now she knew that the woman was a mutant, and she started to wonder if the Paladin was one as well. If this was the case, she might have to rethink her views. She then said, _"My name is Kiana Asahara. That demon, Sen, killed my father. It's controled by my cousin, who lured you into this attack."_

She then heard a man's voice, and figured it was the Paladin, as he said, _"It makes sense. My name is Richard Cale, and the woman is my wife, Yvette. We were called here to fight this demon, and we figured this silence wasn't part of its powers. Your cousin is working with some old foes of ours. The only way we can get out of this is to drop the area of silence."_

She then heard the woman, Yvette, say, _"You know, Richard, if this is Golden's work, Claudette has to be near by. She might be masking their minds from my own powers."_

Kiana was now abit confused and said, _"Can you quickly elaborate on this?" _She quickly jumped to the side as another tentacle came at them. _"Who are Golden and Claudette?"_

She then heard Richard say, _"Golden is a mutant who can cancel out sound in a confined area. The only way to cancel his powers are to knock him out, or to expland the area infinately, like busting a window. As for Claudette, her powers range from super strength, flying, psi-abilities, and many others. However, how she's regained her powers is a mystery. Right now, Kiana, can one of your knives shatter one of the high windows?"_

She nodded and said, _"Yes, and I think I understand your plan."_ She then threw her one knife and watched as it destroyed the window. As it did so, she started to hear footsteps, and saw that everyone was running to dodge Sen's attacks. She also noticed that Sen had not realized everything had changed.

---------------------------  
VI. Sen  
---------------------------

Sen smiled as thoughts of the the Vanquisher's death ran through it's mind. For many years, Sen tried to eliminate the Vanquisher, but every time, they sent Sen back to the demon world. Sen knew that now that someone was controling it, that it ran the risk of being destroyed permanently. However, now with the silence and the new person appearing, the victory would be much sweeter. Sen decided now would be the best time to taunt his latest kill, however the only regret would be that the taunt would go unheard. "Now, Vanquisher, it will be your turn to die, not mine." Sen then chuckled inwardly as it thought about how odd the silence can play tricks on anything.

Sen was surprised as it heard the Vanquisher say, "Not likely Sen, since you've lost your own advantage." Sen felt it's eyes go wide as it realized what had happened. Sen was now hearing sound, and that meant they knew what was happening, and how to stop it.

Sen then smiled and lashed at the woman who had been with the Vanquisher as he entered. Sen knew the woman would not be able to avoid the attack, but Sen was surprised that she had survive the earlier strike like she did. Sen then said, "You may hear me now, but your woman won't for much longer." Sen was sure the attack would connect, and then yowled in pain. Sen looked at it's target, and saw the tip of its tentacle was now a bloody stump, and the woman now had red claws and her hair was now a darker red than it was before. Sen also noticed that her eyes were now all blue. She had to be what the humans called a mutant.

Sen yowled again in pain as another tentacle was cut, this time by the Asian girl with a glowing Katana blade. It was at that moment that Sen remembered seeing that blade before. Sen smiled and said, "I never imagined seeing that blade again. It was nice watching the former owner of that blade die. Of course, I look forward to killing the new owner of that blade, as well as the Vanquisher."

Sen let out another yowl and turned in the direction of his pain. It was then that Sen saw that the one tentacle was cut and burned. It was then that Sen heard the Vanquisher say, "It's over Sen, and you know it. Once I destroy you, you will never exist again. It's the end of the line, demon."

Those words scared Sen. Sen had to think quick, and strike again at the Vanquisher's wife. Before Sen could lash out again, Sen saw the woman slash at the door that the mistress' allies ran into, and saw it fall. Sen then saw the one man doubled over in pain, and hear the Vanquisher's wife say, "It's over, Claudette." This puzzled Sen, wondering who Claudette was when the woman in the room was named Chani.

------------------------------

---------------------------  
VII. Henry  
---------------------------

Henry Edwards watched the warehouse with Quinn Taylor. It had been a little over a week since he was asked into Claudette's group, and now he was going to see one of her plans succeed. Of course, he was aware that the people they had trapped were the same ones who started the school that now protected Tasha Lewis. He still wanted to get a bit of vengence on her, since she had apparently warned the others of his attack. However, now he was content to watch the demon, that this Arisa girl conjured, kill them. As they watched, he just said to Quinn, "Do you think the plan is working, especially after we saw that other girl sneak in before the Cale's arrived?"

He watched as Quinn nodded and said, "Indeed. There has been no sign that anything has gone wrong. The odds are that the girl has made the Cale's wary of what they do next, which means they can't do their best. In fact, I'm sure that soon the demon that Arisa conjured will have the two killed."

He was glad she was so confident. Of course, he remembered she was also confident that they would win at the airport last week. He was also aware that Claudette was keeping a mental link with Quinn, a privalege that he hadn't yet earned. He then said to Quinn, "Quinn, if we are sure the plan will work, why are we keeping watch?"

Just as he saw Quinn about to answer, he heard the sound of glass breaking. He glanced down at the warehouse, and saw one of the side windows were now broken. In his gut, he knew something had happened to change the event inside, especially as Quinn said, "Transform, Henry, because Claudette and Sean are going to need our help." He then watched as she started to run down to the warehouse.

He started to follow her, moving slowing because he activated the transformation to the beast within him. He felt his body bulk up to almost inhuman sizes. He felt himself growing stronger, and also felt his sight and hearing change. He also felt the bloodlust growing. He was ready to take on anything in his path. As he came up to the warehouse, he said in a powerful growling voice, "Ready to bust some heads, Quinn."

He watched as she motioned toward the one wall, but heard her say to Arisa, "Listen Arisa. Dismiss the demon if you can. We are about to pull Chani and Golden out of there. Do you remember where I told you our lair was?" He watched as the girl nodded, and heard Quinn continue. "Good. Head there, and we will begin a new plan, if needed. You can dismiss that demon, right?"

He wasn't startled when he heard a low rumble in the building, and heard Arisa say, "It's already done. However, I think Sen lost a few tentacles, but they should grow back. Good luck on the rescue." He then watched as Arisa ran off, and away from the warehouse.

As Arisa ran off, he hear Quint shout, "Alright, Herny, bust down the wall. We need to rescue our boss." He nodded and then slammed his fist into the wall, shattering it. As the dust cleared, he saw into the warehouse and saw all three people advancing on Claudette and Sean. He was also sure that no one had seen or even noticed that they had just knocked the wall down. Maybe they would have an element of surprise, and he knew that would make him enjoy the attack that much more.

---------------------------  
VIII. Quinn  
---------------------------

Quinn Taylor looked on the scene as they entered the warehouse, and she could tell it wasn't good. Skitz and Penance were advancing on Claudette and Sean, and Quinn knew that Claudette was using all her powers to help Sean after his powers overloaded. Quinn didn't understand why Claudette liked Sean so much, but she knew that it was crippling any escape they might have. She also noticed the odd girl that was in the room. She didn't look like a mutant, nor did she seem to exhibit any mutant powers. Quinn started to think how she might be able to use this to her advantage. If she could distract the Cales, then Claudette could escape. There was also the fringe benefit of taking out someone who might have ended up ruining the plans in the first place. She then said to Henry, "Alright Henry, it's time to keep the Cale's busy. Run right at them, and make sure they don't catch Claudette. I'll take care of the little interloper."

She watched as Henry nodded and said, "Right. I'll flatten them with just one punch." She watched as he rushed at Skitz and Penance and smiled as they appear to be startled at the sound.

She also started to advance on the Asian girl, when she heard the girl shout, "Look out. There's..." Quinn quickly jump kicked the girl, sending her to the floor sliding. She quickly chanced a glance at Henry, and saw Skitz dive to the left, however, she didn't see Penance at all.

That worried her. She knew that Penance had many advantanges, one of which was her ability would allow her to become a living shadow. She also knew that Penance's claws had another purpose. They helped the woman climb on ceilings and walls. Quinn then pinned the girl as she started to recover, and shouted to Claudette. "Chani, get Golden out of here. Henry, don't get to close to Skitz. I'll take care of our little interloper."

Quinn turned to face the girl, and saw the girl was trying to break free. As the girl struggled, she heard the girl say to her, "Whoever you are, you won't stop me. If you are working with my cousin, I will stop you."

She smiled as she realized that this girl was the cousin of Arisa. She then said, "Little girl, to be honest, your cousin is working for us. As for you stopping us, I don't think that's going to happen. Now let's find out if you are a mutant or just a normal girl." She then stated to kiss the girl.

As she was kissing, she felt the girl struggle more, but also noticed that the girl had a look of fear in her eyes. It was then she start to feel the girl's life force entering into her. She felt the girl's struggles start to slow, and realized this girl was nothing more than a normal human. She knew that soon the girl would pass out, and then go into a coma, and finally die. She then watched as the girls eyes started to close. However, just as the eyes were about to close, she felt a ripping pain go right through her back, and she yowled in pain. She quickly got off the girl, and saw herself facing Penance. She also noticed that Penance fingers were apparently dripping red, and realized that she had slashed her back. She hoped the cuts weren't bad, and heard Penance say, "Time to give up, Q.T. You won't hurt Kiana anymore." Quinn frown, and then noticed that Skitz had taken on Henry's powers. Their only hope now was to be able to escape.

---------------------------  
IX. Yvette  
---------------------------

Yvette Cale kept her eyes on Quinn. She didn't want the murdering mutant to kiss anyone else. She knew first hand what that kiss did to mutants, and Richard had told her what the kiss did to non mutants. She also knew that Kiana would recover in a few minutes. She then said in her mind link with her husband, _"Hun, I stopped Q.T. How are you dealing with the brute?"_

She didn't turn to glance anywhere else, but she was thankful when her husband said, _"This brute is very tough. I took on his power, but I'm not sure it will be enough. I've also lost track of Claudette and Golden."_ That didn't set well with her. If they couldn't find Claudette, that meant she already got away, or she was up to something.

Yvette got her answer when she felt a stabbing pain in her mind, and heard Claudette say, _"Actually, I was waiting until both of you were busy. I would like to kill you, but too many of my troup are in danger. Don't worry, I'm just making sure you two stay out of my way as we leave. However, Penance, you better be ready to catch your husband." _She quickly turned, and saw the brute slug her husband and saw him coming towards her. She untensed and managed to grab him, but was knocked to the floor.

She quickly moved and saw the brute was now picking up Claudette who was holding Golden, and then saw the brute walk over and pick up Q.T. As she watched, she heard Claudette verbally shout, "Isn't Henry a dear. Remember this Penance, because you know I'm back." It was then she noticed that Claudette wore an outfit that was similar to something from one of the science-fiction films they had seen.

When they had left, she slowly moved over to Kiana, and tried to wake the girl. She was glad when the girl finally opened her eyes and said, "What did that woman do to me?"

Yvette helped her sit up, and said, "It's her power. Quinn Taylor, or Q.T. as we know her, has a kiss that saps the life out of people. It kills humans, but only knocks out mutants for a day. If I had been any later in stopping her, you might not still be with us."

She saw Kiana shudder at that, and then saw Kiana looking at her as the girl said, "Thank you, Mrs. Cale. I owe you my life."

Yvette smiled and said, "It's alright. I take it your father fought demons as well." She saw the girl nod, and then noticed that Richard was starting to get up. She noticed that her husband was back to normal. She then said to Kiana, "Kiana, you helped us out, and we helped you. Let us continue to help you. My husband's family has been fighting creatures and demons for centuries. They have tons of information at their disposal. If you'd like, we can help you learn more about those things."

She then heard Richard say, "I was just thinking that, Yvette. Kiana, I don't want to see anyone die before their time. If you decide to come with us, we can both help you. Of course, you'd also be at a school full of mutants who are your age. I know you might not be comfortable with that." She could see that Kiana was thinking about their offer. She remembered sensing Kiana's reaction to the fact they were mutants. She wasn't comfortable with it, but something about the event in the warehouse had an impact on her.

She felt thankful when Kiana looked that them both and said, "I shall go with you. I'm indebted to Yvette for saving my life, and after all that occured, I know you aren't evil. It may take me some time, but I'll slowly get used to other mutants. I just hope that we also catch Asira. She killed my father, and I must avenge his death." She watched then as Kiana got up and walked over to them.

As they walked out, however, Yvette remembered one thing, and quickly said to her husband, _"Hun, maybe we should tell her about Monet on the way home."_ She saw him nod, and realized he had thought of the same thing. They didn't want Kiana to think that Monet was the same as Claudette. She also started to wonder how the other students would react to the newest person at the school.

Chapter End


	12. Childs' Nights

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 12 Childs' Nights

---------------------------  
I. Amy  
---------------------------

Amy Johnson sat quietly on the side of Anne's bed. She wasn't sure why Kevin wanted to meet in her room, but she figured it was linked to what they found out from Mr. Thomas two days ago. When Richard and Yvette left on a secret mission, they went to speak with him. They knew somethings about the Cale's, which included what Richard had told them about encountering things of an otherworldly nature, but they had returned with a new girl at the school. She wondered about the new girl, and how she might be linked to the Cale's when Kevin came walking in. She quickly glanced over at Anne, who was sitting at her desk, reading, and then said to Kevin, "Why did you want to meet in here?"

She watched as Kevin walked to the center of the room, and said, "I mentioned to Anne how we were looking into the Cale's background, and she said she had something we might find interesting."

She gave a puzzled glance to Anne, and noticed that she just smiled and said, "What can I say, what you and Kevin seem to be doing is like Mulder and Scully. Besides, I think what you find is that while they have a past, they don't like disclosing certain facts that aren't fond memories, as well as how things were years ago."

She thought about those words for a moment. Five years ago, mutant tolerance was in it's infancy in many parts of the world. She also knew that at that time, some people still view groups like the X-Men as villians, but back then the numbers were larger. She then looked at Kevin and said, "I understand a bit now. Do you want to tell her everything we've found out, or shall I?"

She watched as Kevin closed his eyes and said, "I think I should tell." She then watched as he leaned against the wall and said, "I don't know how much you might be aware of, Anne, but I was always been curious about the Cale's. All through out their family history, the backgrounds of all the Lady Cale's has been kept secret, especially when it came to their weddings. Being here at the school, and during the attack a week back, we learned that Lord and Lady Cale were heroes. They may have hidden who they were with codenames, but why don't they talk about their past. We even learned that Lady Cale was doing the hero bit before Lord Cale joined that group."

She watched as he moved to the middle of the room. She could tell he was getting a rush out of talking about the Cales. "When they started this school, they invited all their friends to teach here. Was this school like a second family to the Cale's. Before Lord Cale returned to England to live, he came back here when his father died. I think Lady Cale was here as well, but during that time, they remained in the castle. There seems to be tons of mysteries linked to them, and we just found out some information from Mr. Thomas." It was at that moment that she saw Kevin looking at her. She had to admit that Kevin looked handsome as he talked. She smiled at him, and then gave him a slight wink. Deep down, she knew she loved him, but she still wasn't sure how her family would take it.

---------------------------  
II. Kevin  
---------------------------

Kevin Mitchell noticed the wink that Amy had given him and felt a rush of alertness. He also started to stare at Amy, wishing they could spend an eternity together. He was almost lost in that thought until Anne said, "So what did you find out?"

That questions had brought him back to the matter at hand. He turned to face Anne, mainly to bring his thoughts back to what they were talking about, and said, "We found out how Lord and Lady Cale met. They both attended the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters."

He noticed that Anne raised an eyebrow, and asked, "The same Xavier School that wanted to open a school here. Wasn't Lord Cale opposed to Xavier having a school here?"

He nodded and said, "Yes, but that was because he and Xavier had a falling out of sorts. Apparently Lord Cale still respects Xavier's dream, but due to a trust issue, a rift has formed between them. But that's not all we found out. We also found out that Lord Cale was a late addition to the school, and that Lady Cale had been a student there long before he arrived."

He then watched as Anne leaned forward and said, "Wait a minute. You're saying that Lord Cale arrived at the school later than the others here. How come they all look towards him like a leader?"

It was then that he heard Amy say, "Very simple. Apparently Lord Cale did something amazing when he arrived. He formed a connection with Lady Cale. From what we were told, Lady Cale used to be very skitish and used her power all the time, which made it near impossible for her to communicate with others. Mr. Thomas had told us that Lord Cale's abilities allowed him to bridge the barrier, and turn Lady Cale into the woman we know her to be. I think that's what led to him being respected at that school."

He nodded in agreement. "I think you're right, Amy. However, I think Lady Cale was even a mystery after she started communicating with them. When Lady Cale joined the school, it was after someone rescued her from a foe of the school. I don't even think they knew her background, which is another of the mysteries about her."

He was almost startled when he heard Anne say, "She's Yugoslavian." He turned and looked at Anne in complete shock. He also glanced over at Amy and saw a shocked look on her face as well. He started to wonder how Anne had come to that conclusion. Did she know something about the Cale's that most of the people here didn't know. He then noticed that Anne was starting to get up from her desk. He hoped that meant they would both get an explaination.

---------------------------  
III. Anne  
---------------------------

Anne Smith got up from her desk when she saw she had surprised both her classmates. She looked at both of them, and said, "I guess you are wondering how I knew that." She saw both of them nod, and then she said, "I'll show you, but one of you close the door first. I don't think anyone would be happy if they knew about what I'm about to show you."

She walked to her closet, and opened it. As she reached in the back to get a video cassette, she heard Kevin say, "I'm not sure on that one. What if one of the teachers, or Grimore comes by, and sees the door close."

She then heard Amy say, "They might think we are studying. It's not curfew time yet." She then saw Amy closing the door to her room. When the door was closed, she heard Amy say, "Now what do you want to show us?"

Anne pulled the tape out, and said, "Have either of you heard of a show called Iron Chef?" She watched as the others slowly nodded. Those slow nods told her that they knew of the show, but had never seen it. She then said, "Well, one of the last shows they made featured an American chef who was very skilled. The chef invited the people responsable for helping him develop his vast skills." She then walked over to the TV and VCR she had in the room and put the tape in. As it started, she said, "Care to guess who those were?"

She watched as Kevin's eyes went wide as he said, "Lord and Lady Cale?" She nodded and fast forwarded the tape to where the challenging chef entered the arena. She then saw the awe on both of their faces, especially as Kevin said, "They are coming in with our flag and America's flag. Do you think that's when they were in Generation X?"

She sped up the tape again to when the reporter was over at the one guest seating area. She then said, "Yes. If you look, you'll see most of our teachers there. However, they did something to hide Clarice's identity. You can see it looks like her skin is a normal color."

It was then that she heard Amy say the question she was expecting. "Anne, did you tape this off television?"

She shook her head and said, "No, which is why I told you to close the door. I had been a fan of the show, and I heard about a bootleg video from the show. Thomas had helped me purchase it about a year ago. This tape shows that things didn't exactly go according to plan." She fast forwarded the tape until it got to a point after the cooking part. When she let play resume, she said, "Apparently, someone decided to attack the show that day." She then stood back as they all saw a group of ninjas attacking the show. As the attack progressed, they saw the ninjas abduct Mrs. Thomas.

Anne glanced back at Kevin and Amy, and noticed that Amy had gotten up and was standing next to Kevin. She returned her gaze to the screen, and saw the image of Lord Cale with glowing eyes telling the camera man to shut the camera down. After that the tape ended, and she heard Kevin say, "Well, that brings up more questions now."

She shook her head again, and said, "Not really. Remember that five years ago, mutant acceptance was not very popular. No doubt that Lord Cale told them to stop the tape because of what had happened. Besides, everything has apparently gotten handled, because Mrs. Thomas is now teaching here. But as you saw, Lady Cale said she was from Yugoslavia."

She then watched as both of them nodded, and heard Kevin say, "Maybe one day we should ask Lady Cale about what happened at the show. Besides, maybe we should know about the ninja group, and those two that tried to help stop the ninjas." She then watched as Kevin left the room, and saw Amy following. When they had left, she admired how the two seemed to care for each other. Those thoughts then made her think about Jack, and if there was some way to pull him out of the Ripper's grip.

---------------------------  
IV. Richard  
---------------------------

Richard Cale III sat in the family room, playing a game of Candyland with his little sister, Ashley, and Joleen. They were keeping their game on the quiet side, because both his mother, and Joleen's parents, who were their parents' bodyguards, were in the room. They were engaged in a conversation with his grandfather. As they played, he heard his grandfather say, "Aye cannae believe how ye are handling this new responsability." He knew what his grandfather talking about. His father had turned the home into a mutant school. He had thought it was cool that there were other mutants around the place. He also wondered if he would develop mutant powers like his parents.

It was then he heard his mother say, "Well, it has a few upsides. We get to learn what we put you and Emma through." He then heard every one of the adults laugh at that statement. This puzzled him a bit. When he first met his grandfather, it was when his parents took him off to France. His grandfather had been in a hospital, and they never said anything about his grandmother. He started to wonder if Emma was his grandmother.

He then heard Joleen's father, Darrett, say, "Let's just hope that these kids don't give us the same problems we gave you and Emma. You had your hands full with us sometimes, Sean."

Those words made him wonder. He got up from the game, and walked over to the adults, and said, "Granddad, did you teach Mom and Dad?"

He then heard heard Joleen shout, "Yea. Did you teach my Mom and Dad too?" He watched as Ashley also came walking over. As they looked, he glanced over at Joleen again, and realized that Joleen had already shown signs that she was a mutant, because her skin being the same color as her mother's.

He then heard Joleen's mother, Clarice, say, "Yes. Sean was our teacher. He adopted your mother while she was at the school. In fact, we all met at school. In fact all of the teachers here met at school."

He then heard his grandfather say, "Well, almost all of them. I'm surprised.." He then heard his grandfather stop speaking, and noticed that his mother had held up her hand.

Rich watched as his mother just said, "I know, but now is not the time to talk about it. I'm just glad you are willing to stay for a while to help us with the school. We can use your advice on how to do things."

That news made him smile. He looked at his grandfather and said, "That means you can help keep an eye out for the monster. When Dad saw the monster, he started getting this school together."

He then saw his grandfather look at his mother, and heard him ask, "Monster? Do ye mean..."

Rich was surprised when his mother stood up and started to take them to the door, saying, "Rich, Ashley, Joleen. Why don't you all check and see how Mr. Forge's work is coming on the game room. Maybe he has the special room set up. I'm sure you'd all like that." He started to wonder why his mother was ushering them out of the room when they were about to talk about the monster, but he did want to see if he could play his favorite games in a new way.

He quickly ran out the door, and yelled, "Last one to the game room is a rotten egg." He then ran, and heard Ashley following behind him. As they ran, he wondered why Joleen was lagging behind.

---------------------------  
V. Joleen  
---------------------------

Joleen Thomas stayed back for a moment as the door to the room was closed. She had thought it was odd that they had to check the game room all of a sudeen, but she was also curious. She stayed quiet for a moment, until she managed to hear one word. She wasn't sure who said it, but she heard someone say "Emplate." She wondered if that was the name of the monster that had been terrorizing Rich.

She then ran and caught up with Rich and Ashley. As they ran, she got along side Rich and said, "They wanted us out of the room so they could talk about your monster. They have a name for it."

She watched as he looked at her, and said, "You mean they know what it is?" When she nodded, she heard him say, "I wonder if Granddad knew about it?"

Joleen just shrugged and said, "We can ask him about that later. Right now, let's see if Mr. Forge is really done. Our parents had told us that it would let us play our games a new way." She watched as he nodded and continued running for the game room. She was glad he wasn't worrying about the monster.

They finally reached the game room, and she was glad they all arrived at the same time. They even arrived in time to see Mr. Forge putting some tools away. She watched as he looked in their direction and said, "Hello kids. I take it you came to see if the special room was ready." She nodded, as well as the others, and smiled when he said, "Well, it is. If you three want to test it, just put one of the games into one of these game systems, and then push the blue button next to the machine."

She turned to the two others, and then looked at Ashley and said, "Ashley, would you like to pick a game for us to play."

She watched as the little girl nodded and ran over to the Gamecube. She had a feeling which game that she would pick, and watched as the little girl pulled out one of the Mario Party games. She then heard the little girl say, "I wanna be Peach. Mommy says I'm her little princess."

Joleen took the game and put it into the game unit. She then pushed the blue button and saw the door open, and saw the same scene on the television set in the room. She then heard Rich say, "Whoa. We can really be in the game." She then watched as he ran into the room, followed by Ashley.

Before she ran in, she looked at Mr. Forge and said, "Can you join us?"

She watched as he shook his head and said, "No, I've already tested it out earlier. I'm going to tell your parents about some of the other features, but right now, you can play a game in there." She then watched as he headed out of the game room. She then walked into the game, and smiled as Rich and Ashley were getting a game started. She hoped it would be a good game, with a lot of fun for all of them.

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VI. Thomas  
---------------------------

Thomas Jacobs sat in the boy's common room with Prince James. He had been at the Cale Institute for almost two weeks, but he was still amazed that the Prince was one of his classmates. He had always thought someone like the Prince would be tutored at the castle. He noticed that James was working on one of their assignments in history. He remembered the assignment that had been given. They were to look into a historical event, and explain it's impact on current events, and specifically mutants. He already knew what his topic would be, but decided to ask James. "Hey James, what's your topic going to be?"

He watched as James put his history book down, and said, "I think I'm going to do my history assignment on the event that sparked World War I. I'm sure I can show corrilations between that and the history events about the near assasination of Charles Xavier." He watched as James then looked at him and said, "What about you, Thomas?"

He just smiled, and said, "I was thinking about doing mine about Women's sufferage. You know, how they wanted equal rights in many countries. I can show how it also impacted how people view mutants, especially male and female mutants."

As he thought about his topic, he let his mind wander to all the girls at the school. He let a small grin pass his lips as he thought about it. He then realized that the grin had been seen when he heard James ask, "Is there another reason you picked that topic?"

Thomas nodded and said, "To be honest, I also want to impress Anne. I guess I've got a crush on her, and she's the only girl I really know here. Tasha tends to stay to herself, and Amy and Kevin seem to be an item. The only other girl here is that new girl, Kiana." After he mentioned her name, he started to wonder about her. He then looked over at James. "Is she a mutant like us?"

He watched as his classmate shook his head and said, "I don't think she is. When Lord Cale had returned on Tuesday, he said she had helped in what they had to do. However, since she's been here, I think she's stayed in the secret library where the costumes were. Do you think she does stuff like Lord Cale does?"

Thomas thought about it for a moment, and then said, "Maybe she does. I mean, you remember when we all saw that fading scar on his forehead. He said some creature called Emplate did that. Maybe she's here to help with that?" As he said those words, he saw that James looked deep in thought. He wondered if James had more insight on Kiana than he had. He then sat back and waited for James to answer.

---------------------------  
VII. James  
---------------------------

James thought about the last statement that Thomas had made. He then said, "I don't think she's here to help with this Emplate thing. If she was, Lord Cale would have called her in to begin with. I think her meeting Lord and Lady Cale was a chance encounter. Besides, I don't think she's entirely keen on mutants. She even seems a bit jumpy around all of us. I just hope she's not part of a mutant hate group."

He saw the shocked look that crossed Thomas's face. It was obviously not something that he had thought about. After a moment, he heard Thomas say, "Do you honestly think she would even be allowed on the grounds if that was the case? This school is supposed to be a safe place for mutants. If she had something evil planned for us, she wouldn't be allowed in."

He then thought about what he had suggested. It was unlikely that was the case. He had read stories about how a Paladin, who he knew Lord Cale was, could sense evil. He had even seen once when someone came in to threaten his father, only to be stopped by Lord Cale. He then said, "You're right. Maybe I'm just jumpy. You remember how I reacted when Sean Cassidy arrived. I didn't know he was Yvette's adoptive father."

It was then that Thomas said, "You have a reason to be jumpy. You are the Prince, and who knows if someone might be after you." It wasn't a comforting thought, but Thomas did have a point.

He wanted to change the topic now. He shook his head and said, "Hey, you said you had feelings for Anne, didn't you?"

He watched as Thomas looked at him, puzzled by the topic change, but then saw him smile as he said, "Yes, I do. Of course, I've known her the longest. Do you have feelings for someone you met here?"

James thought about that for a moment and then nodded. "I think I have feelings for Tasha. I don't know what it is about her, but something makes me feel for her. From the way she talks, something tells me her life was full of troubles."

He watched as Thomas looked at him, with a look of concern on his face. "What kinds of troubles?"

He sighed when he thought about the few things Tasha had told him about her home life. He knew she didn't talk with the others much, but she had shared a few things about her home life. He looked at Thomas, and said, "Something tells me her parents didn't love her. I'm not sure if it was because she was a mutant, or if they just didn't love her. After we found out about Sean Cassidy, she stepped out. I followed and heard her say that Lady Cale's life was similar to her own."

He watched as Thomas sat back. He could see a look of surprise had crossed his friend's face. He then heard Thomas say, "Maybe you should go talk to her. There is still some time until curfew."

James knew Thomas was right. He then got up and headed for the door. "You're right. I'll head over there right now. Besides, she always seems to withdrawl to her room. Maybe she needed some company, just to chat, or talk about one of the assignments." He then exited the room, and headed out of the boys' dorm area, to where the girls resided. As he walked, he wondered what Tasha might think of his coming to visit.

-----------------------------------------------

---------------------------  
VIII. Kiana  
---------------------------

Kiana Asahara sat up from leaning over one of the books in the Cale's secret library. She had been reading through the book for the past hour, and now understood why Richard Cale insisted on having new age music on. She looked over at him, and said, "I never realized how many dark forces are in our world."

She watched as he walked over to the table and said, "It can be a bit overwhelming at first. There is a lot of stuff in the world that we don't about. Can you imagine how people would react if they learned about all this stuff?"

She honestly thought about it for a moment. If people knew about how some of this stuff actually did exist, the people might go mad and even lash out against one another. She also started to realize that was how some people reacted to mutants. She looked at Richard, and wondered if he had choose to ask that question for that reason. After a moment, she responded, "People would turn on one another. It would be a disaster."

She watched as he nodded and said, "Yes. There are examples in history which shows how hysteria can take over. The Inquisition. The Salem Witch Craft Trials and The McCarthy Hearings in America. People let their fear turn them against each other. The only way to stop it is to not start it, and if it is started, an accusation that would be absurd will stop it. In fact, only in the past five years, the persecution of mutants has dropped. People stop fearing, and start learning. The stuff that my family has had to deal with still can only be mentally handled by a few people."

Kiana then sat back in the chair, and said, "You know, I never thought of things that way. You've given me some things to think about." She then stood up and started to head for the door. As she reached it, she then said, "Mr. Cale, if I were to start talking with some of your students, who would you recommend talking with first?"

She watched as he thought about it for a moment, and then said, "Well, I think you should speak with Tasha first. I think it would help both of you out. Out of all the students, her life has been the harshest."

She nodded and headed out of the hidden room. As she walked, she wondered about Richard's choice of words. She hadn't talked with the students, but that was mainly because she was cautious about dealing with mutants. She hadn't even talked with the teachers much. The only other one she had spoken with was Monet St. Croix. She was lost in the thoughts of the teachers when she entered the hall, and walked into James. She stepped back and quickly said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run in to you."

She remembered Richard telling her that James was the Prince of England. She was a bit worried that he might yell at her. In her mind, she was expecting him to belittle her, but she was surprised when James said, "It's all right. I should have been more careful. I was just heading to talk with Tasha."

Kiana was thankful the he wasn't upset. She then continued on her way to the girl's dorm rooms, and said, "Actually, I was just going to visit with her as well. Mr. Cale suggested I visit with her."

As they walked, she started wondering why he was coming to see Tasha. As they neared her room, she heard James say, "I thought you were nervous around mutants."

She understood his comment and then said, "Actually, I am, but Mr. Cale suggest that since I want to start getting to know everyone, that I should start with Tasha." As they got to the door, she noticed he had a smile on his face.

As he knocked on the door, he said, "I think Lord Cale wants to help Tasha, and also show you that mutants have normal problems as well." She watched as he then looked at the door, and noticed it was opening. As it opened, she noticed that Tasha seemed to have on a bath robe. She then started to worry that they might have woken Tasha.

---------------------------  
IX. Tasha  
---------------------------

Tasha Lewis had been surprised to hear someone knocking on her door. She had been studying in her room, au natural. However, when the knocking started, she quickly put on a housecoat. Now she was seeing two of her school mates had wanted to visit. She was glad to see that one of her visitors was James. However, she was surprised to see that Kiana, who had arrived only two days ago. Tasha had initially thought that Kiana was a loner, or uncomfortable around mutants. She then smiled and said, "Both of you, come in. Did you want to talk about something?"

She watched as they both entered and heard James say, "Well, it appears that Kiana wants to start learning about us. As for myself, I was a bit concerned about you." When she heard those words, she wanted to blush, but she just smiled.

She then heard Kiana say, "Mr. Cale suggested that I speak with you first. Can you tell me about you and your family?" When she heard the mention of family, she felt a feeling of fear go through her. It wasn't something she wanted to talk about.

She was almost startled when James said, "Tasha, we won't tell anyone else unless you want us to tell them. But, you are going to have to tell some of your background to us." She understood what James was saying, but she didn't know if she should.

She then heard Kiana say, "Tasha, did something traumatic happen in your home life?"

Tasha nodded, finally answering the question. "Everything happened, Kiana. As I grew up, I wasn't my parents' child, I was their servant. I wasn't allowed to have friends, do anything on my own. They even made sure I had a reputation at school that no one wanted to be my friend. Then it got worse."

She noticed that James had a worried look on his face, and saw that Kiana was in shock. She then heard Kiana say, "Was that when you found out you were a mutant?"

She nodded again. "Yes. My parents saw great possibilities to use them to help themselves to have a better life. They saw my psychic powers as a tool they could use. I also heard them say that when it looked like I would get caught, they'd claim I was controlling them." As she finished talking, she wanted to cry. She didn't want anyone to know how bad her home life was. She was even afraid that people would believe the lies that she was evil.

She was stunned when she heard Kiana gasp and say, "That is horrible. I can't believe that any parents would do that to their own child. It's just beyond reason. I'm glad you were able to get out of there. Tasha, I have seen evil in people, and that includes my own cousin. I can see you aren't evil. It will be an honor to know you."

Hearing Kiana say that made her feel good. She always thought her background would make people fear her. She was even more surprised when she heard James say, "I'm sorry for what happened to you at home, Tasha. I can see that you are an honest person."

She looked right at James, and was surprised by what she saw. She saw that in his eyes, he had feelings for her. As she focused on that, she felt her powers sensing feelings of concern from both James and Kiana. The feeling was very strong from James, but she then sensed something else. She sensed something sinister nearby. She then looked at her two friends and said, "Maybe we should be quiet for a moment. Something just seems wrong." She then turned towards the door, and notice the others were facing the door as well.

---------------------------  
X. Marius  
---------------------------

Marius St. Croix stayed out of synch with reality. It had taken D.O.A. a few days to get the special teleportation door working, but the results were successful. He could now sneak into the Cale's home anytime he wished. He could now find out anything he wanted, and even chance the occasional snack. Right now, he had chanced upon a unique scene. Three of the students were all in the one student's room. He watched as the one, a girl of African decent walked to the door, and cautiously looked out.

He then heard her say, "I don't know why, but I've got this strange feeling like we are being watched." He got a good look at her now, and learned all he could with his knowledge on sight powers. He could tell her name was Tasha Erica Lewis, and saw she had a very bad home life. He also saw that she had potential to be a very powerful psi-mutant.

He then chanced a glance past her, and saw a young man in the room. He also had great power, which was to manipulate water. He also learned the man was the son of England's king, Prince James. He could also see something else, a feeling of concern for the girl. It was at that point that he heard the boy say, "I don't see anyone out there. Maybe you're nervous since curfew will be here soon. We should all be back in our rooms by that time. In fact, maybe I should leave now."

He watched as the boy left the room and passed right near him. It was so tempting to just attack then, but he needed more information first. He decided to turn his attention to the other girl, but was shocked to see no mutant aura around her. He started to wonder why she was here, until he heard her say, "I should go to, Tasha. Mr. Cale has more stuff he wants me to study." It was then realized why she was there. She was another person that fought evil the same way the Paladin did. That would make things a little more difficult for him.

Marius started to walk away from the area. If the two mutants he saw were any indication of the powers available here, he could have a very good feast. As he neared the door that he used to jump there, he heard the small communicator beep. He pushed the button and said, "I'm on my way back, D. Get the rest together. I may have an idea on how to capture our old foes, as well as the new class of mutants."

He turned off the communicator and then stepped through the door. It worked just like it was supposed to. He smiled at D.O.A. and saw his technical wizard was happy. He then saw D. shut off the device, while saying, "I'll get the others together right away. How soon do you want to attack?"

He smiled and thought about it. It would have to be a time when the forces are divided. He'd have to check a few more times, but it would have to be soon. He wanted a chance to sup on the new powers available to him. He looked at D. and said, "Hopefully soon. We must wait until the forces are divided. Right now, we must plan." He then walked out of the room, and went to gather the rest together.

Chapter End


	13. Unexpected Arrivals

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 13: Unexpected Arrivals

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I. Yvette  
---------------------------

Yvette Cassidy Cale walked into her husband's office. She could see that he was looking over paper work. She quietly closed the door, and walked over to his desk. She was sure that her husband knew she was in the room, but she waited until he stopped going over the papers on his desk, and looked at her. "What did you want, Yvette, that you had to close the door?"

She smiled her sweetest smile at him, and said, "Now, Richard, do you think that I am up to something?" She giggled when he gave her a stern look. She calmed herself down, and said, "I was just thinking, since it is a Saturday, and the students have been on the grounds for two weeks, that maybe they would like a trip to Lakeside Mall."

She watched as her husband sat back and said, "I'm not sure. We do have a new student arriving. I wouldn't want everyone to be away from the school. Besides, you know Tasha can't leave school grounds. We already took a chance by taking her to the airport."

She had a feeling her husband would be leary of the idea, and gave a slight pout. "I know that, but the others can. Besides, I wouldn't go alone. Clarice would go along, since Darrett isn't back to full health. But if you don't think that's enough, some of the others can go along. Besides, when was the last time all of us gals did a mall run?"

She watched as her husband laughed and said, "I still don't know, hun. If you take the students with you, you won't all be able to stick together. Besides, can it wait another week?"

Yvette understood her husband's reservations, but she had one more card to play. She leaned over the desk a bit, and said, "I don't think so. After our little adventure on Tuesday, I realized that I needed to special order some articles of clothing. You remember how we stopped ordering the clothing treated with the material that was in my old Gen X outfit. Well, not all I was wearing Tuesday was able to handle my power."

She watched as her husband's eyes went wide. All their life together, her husband knew how she had feared using her powers, and ending up naked because of it. In their years after leaving Generation X, she had used those powers very little, and even began forgetting about having special clothing made. She then heard heard her husband say, "Well, we don't want that to happen again. I take it you've got something ordered at La Senza."

She nodded and said, "I even made sure Monique was there today. She is good at keeping an eye out for Paparazzi. Would that be enough to allow the kids an outting, while I take care of this issue."

She smiled when he nodded and said, "Indeed. Just don't get into trouble." She smiled and headed to leave his office. Before she could exit, she heard him say, "You know, Yvette, I may have to examine the purchase."

She glanced back at her husband, and saw he was looking back at the papers, but she also saw a devilish grin on his face. She smiled and then said, "Don't worry. Tonight you can do that." She then left the room, and spoke to everyone psionically, _"Everyone who would like to go to Lakeside Mall, please meet me in the main hall."_ She then made her way down to the hall. She knew everyone would be happy about the trip, and she hoped many would go.

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II. Anne  
---------------------------

Anne Smith sat in the corner of the girl's common room. When she had woken up in the morning, she had decided to spend a portion of the day reading. It was one of her favorite past times. It helped calm her nerves, especially when something big was going to happen.

Today was going to be a big day at the school. A new student was going to arrive, and she was very nervous. Of course, that was due to different factors. The first being that she wasn't used to the latest addition to the school, Kiana Asahara. The second thing that was worrying her was that Tasha Lewis, who was one of the six students who had come to the school two weeks ago, was sick. Even before classes yesterday, she noticed that Tasha looked a bit drained.

She started to wonder what was wrong with Tasha. She started to let the fear that Tasha had Legacy enter her mind, but quickly dismissed it. From what she remembered, the cure to Legacy had be put out by Paladin Technologies. Very few cases existed anymore, and the worst of those was only minor symptoms. She then tried to think of all the other possibilities for why Tasha was sick.

She was so caught up in that thought, that she almost jumped out of her seat when Amy Johnson entered the common room and said, "Hey Anne, did you hear the psi message? We are going to Lakeside Mall. Isn't that great?"

Anne looked over at Amy and said, "No I didn't. I guess I've been worried about Tasha."

She watched as Amy walked over to her and sat down in the chair next to her. "Is Tasha still not feeling well?"

She nodded and the looked out the door that was closest to Tasha's room. "Yes. I knocked on her door earlier, and she just told me to leave. I even tried to open the door to the room, but she had it locked." She then looked at Amy again, "And what about this new student? Should we really be leaving when a new student is coming?"

She then saw Amy stand up. "Anne, it might be best if we do leave then. That way, we can all be graduallly introduced to the new student. Besides, some of the teachers will be going with us. What could go wrong?"

Anne surpressed a shudder, and got up. She put a bookmark in her book, and then said, "Well, if you think it will be all right, I'll go. I just hope that nothing bad happens." She started to walk out of the common room with Amy and said, "However, I just can't shake this feeling that something unexpected is going to happen."

As they headed to the main hall, she heard Amy say, "It will be alright. Maybe you can pick up a new book." She looked down at the book in her hand, and then heard Amy say, "Maybe something other than science fiction. Did you ever read any of the books by Rowling?" Anne shook her head, and began to wonder if she should start reading her book again. She didn't want to listen to being critizied for her reading choices.

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III. James  
---------------------------

Prince James couldn't believe the news. Everyone had been getting anxious about the new student that was arriving today, but the news of a trip to Lakeside Mall was enough to make anyone forget that feeling. As he headed to the main hall with Kevin Mitchel, and Thomas Jacobs, he said, "What do you think prompted this trip?"

He listened as Kevin said, "I don't really know. Maybe they want to let the new student get in and settled before meeting the rest of us. Remember how we all reacted to Kiana's arrival?"

He then heard Thomas say, "That was Tuesday. She wasn't entirely friendly with us then, but I think she's starting to warm up to everyone."

He nodded in agreement. "She is. Thursday night, we had a talk with Tasha. I learned a bit more about Tasha, and so did Kiana. I could even see that she felt sorry for Tasha."

As they neared the main hall, he heard Kevin say, "Are you sure that's what you saw?"

Before he could respond, he saw Thomas glare at Kevin. "Give it a rest. You are too busy trying to figure out the Cale's past, that you are trying to find something in anything. Do you honestly think Lord Cale would have brought Kiana here if she was a threat."

He then looked at Kevin and said, "Lord Cale would never put us at risk like that. Besides, Lord Cale has his own kids to worry about. Now let's drop this subject, we are at the main hall."

James then entered the hall with the others, and saw that almost all the teachers were in the hall, excluding Lord Cale, and Tasha wasn't in the room. When they were with the other students, he saw Yvette smiling as she said, "All right everyone. As you are all aware, we are having a new student arrive, and I thought that in order for them to adjust better, they could get in and meet us all when we get back from the mall. Besides, you've all been cooped up here for two weeks, so a day out might be good."

He heard his classmates cheer, and then he heard Kiana say, "Mrs. Cale, shouldn't some of us stay here, to help get things ready?" He then noticed that Yvette had cringed a bit, and then saw Kiana lower he head, saying, "Sorry, Yvette."

He watch as Yvette held up her hand and said, "It's all right, Kiana, and you do have a good point. Since Tasha isn't feeling well, maybe someone should stay behind for when Tasha wakes up."

James liked the idea of staying for when Tasha woke up. He couldn't believe that in the short time he had met her, that he was falling for her. He quickly raised his hand and said, "I'll stay behind to help." He was surprised, and glanced over at Kiana who had said the same thing.

As they continued looking at each other, he heard Yvette say, "Alright, Kiana, James, you both will stay here with Darrett and Richard. Kevin, Thomas, Amy, and Anne; you all head out to the van with Davis, Everett, Clarice, Jubilation, Monet and myself." He then listened as everyone filed out the doors, and turned back to the door. He then walked over to the window with Kiana and Darrett, and watched as the van started out of the grounds.

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IV. Kiana  
---------------------------

Kiana Asahara watched the van pull out. Part of her had wanted to go to the mall they were heading to, but ever since her father's death, she focused on bringing his killer to justice. She was also concerned for Tasha's health. Even since the statement she had made on Thursday, Tasha seemed to be looking drained. She had even noticed that Tasha seemed oddly tired yesterday.

She stepped back from the window, and then looked at James. She had a feeling what the Prince's reason for staying behind was, but she wasn't sure. When he finally looked away from the window, she said, "Are you worried about Tasha as well?"

She wasn't surprised when he nodded. "Yes I am. I've only know her two weeks, and I keep thinking about her. It's like I've got a crush or something like that on her." She had to agree that it sounded like that, but it sounded a bit far fetched to her.

It was at that moment she heard a bit of laughter, and turned to see that it was Darrett Thomas. She looked at him and asked, "Are you laughing at me or him?" She was sure that he was laughing at James, but if that was the case, it was very rude.

She was surprised when he said, "I'm laughing because I'm reminded of how I felt when I first met Clarice. I never said anything to anyone, but eventually we ended up together." She then watched as he walked over to them and said to James, "So you have a crush on Tasha? I don't think that's too big a deal."

She just shook her head and headed off. She couldn't believe that James believed in something like love at first sight. It was an outrageous notion. She was almost startled when she heard Richard Cale say, "Is something wrong, Kiana?"

She stopped and looked up at him as he stood in the hallway. She looked at him and said, "It nothing. James just seems to believe in love at first sight. Isn't that crazy?" She waited for a moment, before she realized he didn't agree with her. She looked at him and said, "Don't tell me you believe in it too?"

He nodded and said, "Yes, Kiana, I do. In fact, Yvette and I fell in love at first sight."

She looked at him in disbelief. "How can you believe in that with what you do? Aren't you afraid of losing someone you love?" When he nodded, she was dumbstruck.

He then said, "I know you lost your father. When you have a responsablity, you have to accept all the risks. I'm sure he was aware of that. There are a few people who take up this fight alone. There are also people who become part of a team, and some of those people end up together. That's one thing I hope you learn during your stay here. I want you to get used to those around here. Trust me, it will help in the long run. Now, why don't you go check on Tasha. If we need to, I'll get a doctor to come in."

She nodded and then headed off to the girls dorm. Before she continued, she turned back and said, "Mr. Cale, were you ever faced with losing Yvette?"

She watched as he faced her and said, "Yes. We've been faced with that many times. Once, we were even faced with losing our son. Now, go check on Tasha."

She turned and headed off, and started to wonder what had happened, but decided against it for now. She would ask when there wasn't alot going on. She knew a new student was arriving today, and she figured Richard must be under alot of stress. However, with all that was happening, she got a feeling that something unexpected was coming. She hoped that she wrong about that bad feeling, but something seemed wrong. Even as she headed toward the girl's rooms, she felt like she was being watched.

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V. Allen  
---------------------------

Allan Arron ran through the streets of the town where the Cale Institute was. When he had heard the place was opening, he knew he would have to make his way to the school. He was a mutant with a morphing ability. The only downside was that he could only assume the forms of video game characters. That usually got him some odd looks, especially since the form he usually assumed was that of Samus Aran.

He usually took that form for health reasons. He had a rare disease where normal light burned him. He had found that when he changed forms and had something covering normal skin, he could endure it. This was one of the few forms he could assume that would allow him to move outside for a long time.

Of course, this also allowed him to get a lot of attention. It wasn't everyday that someone saw a person in battle armor running around. There had been many times when a bobby that didn't know him, pulled out his weapon and told him to halt. He usually stopped and explained to them about his power, and his illness. After that, they left him go, but the people he had seen making their way toward where he was going wouldn't listen to reason. They were the Knights Of Humanity.

He had read stories about the American version of the group, which had been the original group. They had gone to great lengths to prove mutants were a threat, even provoking attacks and making it look like the mutants had attacked them. He was sure that they were heading to the school to do something similar. If that was the case, he had to warn the school.

He glanced towards the gate, and saw a car leaving the school grounds. He wasn't sure if the vehicle was a school vehicle, but he was sure that the school would appreciate knowing what was coming. He stopped right near the wall to the school grounds, and jumped into the air.

He was happy that his power also allowed him to morph the abilities of the characters he took the form of. In this case, his jump allowed him to clear the wall, and land perfectly on the other side. He then started to run for the door, and to the girl that was standing in the courtyard. He wondered if she had been dropped off by the car that had left, and he also wondered why the car was in such a hurry to leave. He put those thoughts out of his head, as he ran forward and shouted, "Hey, we need to get inside and warn them." He watched as the girl looked at him, and then notice that she was looking at him suspiciously. He then sighed and hoped his words would be enough not to panic her.

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VI. Alex  
---------------------------

Alex looked in shock at the figure that was approaching her. Graylon had mentioned nothing about this. From what she had learned about the Cale's, she doubted that what was approaching her was a trick or some sort of Sentinel. However, she did notice that this figure looked like something out of a video game.

She then started to wonder if this was some sort of test. If it was, she had to keep remembering one thing. They knew her to be Samantha Cain. She kept her eyes on the figure, and said, "Pardon me, but I'm Samantha Cain. I'll be joining the school. Are you one of the teachers?"

She watched as the figure froze and then appeared to shake it's head. "No. I actually came here to learn about my powers. Sorry if I startled you. My name is Allan Arron. I use my powers like this because I have a rare condition. But we need to get inside. I saw some of the Knights of Humanity coming this way."

She felt her eyes go wide when she heard that. Working with Graylon Walsh had allowed her to find out about the hate group. It was a small group, but it always made a big noise. Targeting the group had also been one of Walsh's pet projects. He even had her listen for some of their plans. She decided this would be a good time to use her powers, and to help keep up her identity of Samantha Cain. She focused on her hearing, and started to hear everything that was happening in the area. She heard some conversations in the school. She started hearing conversations in the town, and soon she heard a voice she had heard before. She heard the voice of one of the more prominent members of the Knights Of Humanity, Henry Meier. As she listened, she heard him talking with one of his fellow members. "When we arrive, we cause a scene, and wait for the freaks to come out. Once they come out, one of us starts a fight, and then we turn on the camera for when they retaliate. It will look to the world like they are attacking us."

She gasped when she heard that. She then looked at Allan, and said, "You're right. I just heard them talking about it. My power is remote hearing, and I heard them talking about inciting an attack. We need to get inside before they get here." She then ran to the door and started to pound on it.

As she pounded on the door, she looked back toward the gate to the grounds. She knew the size of the area would mean that they wouldn't have to worry about them being rushed when the hate group entered, but that didn't ease her worries. Graylon had told her many times that groups like them would resort to any trick to prove their point. As she thought about what they might do, she felt a shudder run through her body. She honestly didn't want to be used as part of their anti-mutant propaganda.

She was so deep in her worry, that she jumped when the front door opened, and she saw a man of African decent opening the door. She quickly realized who the man was. He was Darrett Xavier Thomas, one of the Cale's bodyguards. She remembered from what she overheard from the place, and that he had taken a beating when the 'Rippers' attacked. She was glad to see he was feeling better, but she still didn't like that his past was a virtual unknown. Of course, this wasn't the time to dwell on it, especially with the Knights Of Humanity heading towards the place, and the surprised look on his face at the appearance of Allan.

She then pushed her way into the hall, and said, "Sorry for the pounding, but we needed to get inside. We needed to be inside before they arrive." She then watched as he closed the door, and looked at them warily. As he did so, Samantha, as she now thought of herself, wondered if this quirk of fate made her suspicious to him.

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VII. Darrett  
---------------------------

Darrett Thomas looked at the girl, and the armored figure with concern. Their actions were very suspicious, and this claim of being inside before others arrive didn't seem right. When he closed the door, he looked at them and said, "Now, do you mind telling me who the two of you are, and what you are talking about?"

He watched as the girl looked at him, nervously, and said, "I'm sorry. My name is Samantha Cain. My guardian called and set up my arrival here." He then watched as she motioned to the armored figure and said, "His name is Allen Arron. He's a mutant, and he told me that the Knights Of Humanity were coming. I think they are up to something."

That got his attention. He quickly looked out the window, and noticed that a group of people were entering the gate at the far end of the ground. It was not a good sight. He quickly walked over to the intercom and pushed the button that connected to Richard's office. "Richard, I think you better get down to the hall."

He waited until his employer, and friend, responded. "What's the problem, Darrett?"

Darrett wasn't about to dance around the details, given what was happening. "Well, we have two new students, not just one. And, it appears that the Knights Of Humanity are entering the grounds. Personally, I don't think they are here to wish us any good fortune."

He heard something hit the table hard over the intercom, and realized that Richard must have either brought his hand down hard, or dropped something. He then heard Richard say, "I'll be right down. I'll tell Sean to keep the kids inside, and then get Kiana and James down there. I also want to see how we ended up with two students instead of one."

He heard the intercom shut off, and he then turned to the two others in the room and said, "Well, this is turning into a day full of surprises. Let's hope this is the last of them. Now, Samantha, why didn't your guardian stay to see that you got in safe?"

Darrett watched as she fidgited a bit and finally hear her say, "My guardian, who is my uncle Johnathan said this would be the best place for me. He would have stayed, but something came up at the lab where he works. He felt that I'd be all right after he dropped me off. I didn't know the Knights Of Humanity were coming, until Allen told me."

He then looked at the armored figure and said, "So Allen, why are you here? Your arrival here was unexpected."

He could see that the armored figure was nervous, and could see a nervous twitch in the figure's feet. He was thankful it wasn't a nervous twitch in the arm, since the figure appeared to have a cannon for an arm. He then heard the person say, "Well, I came here to learn to control my powers more. Right now, I have to use them all the time, since I have a rare condition where normal light burns me. This armored form allows me to walk around normal, but if it bothers you, I can pick another form."

He was almost startled when Richard entered the room, saying, "If you could, that would be fine. I think people find Samus Aran a bit discomforting in person. Might be due to the weapon arm." He then watched as Allen glowed for a moment, and his form changed into that of the robotic character of Mega Man.

When the transformation was over, he heard James say, "That is a cool power. I wish I had a power like that. It might even allow me some privacy." It was then that he noticed that James and Kiana was with Richard.

He then watched as Richard looked at both of the new students, and said, "Well, your arrival was a surprise, Allen, but we will get a room ready for you. Samantha, it's an honor to meet you. You will have to tell us about your power. If you are both worried about the Knights Of Humanity, I'll be calling the police in a bit. Right now, they haven't done anything threatening, and as long as none of us go outside, anything they do won't fuel their group." He then watched as Richard motioned them to follow, and saw them all leave the room.

As they left the room, Darrett glanced back out the window, and wondered why the hate group was there on this day. It wasn't good, especially since he knew that Walsh also targeted the hate group. He also wasn't sure about Samantha. Something in her actions made him suspicious. However, for right now, he was going to keep an eye on the grounds, and do his job of protecting his old schoolmate.

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VIII. Sean  
---------------------------

Sean Cassidy watched his granddaughter, Ashley Cale, as she played a game with her brother, Richard Cale III, and Joleen Thomas. He couldn't believe how well the little girl could play the game that normally was played by older children. The one they were playing was one of the Mario Party games, and they had given Ashley a bit of a handicap. While the others started with zero stars, Ashley had been given three to start with. Of course, as Sean had noticed, that didn't mean that she needed it. All three of the children were equally good at each of the games they had to play.

As he watched, he started to wonder if the skill might be linked to them all being mutants. Joleen's was obvious, since she had the same skin color as her mother, Clarice. He had even seen his grandson's eyes go from normal to all blue, as well as seeing the boy's skin get redder in color, which was proof that he'd have Yvette's powers as he aged. He just wondered what Ashley's powers might be when they start to show themselves.

He was broken from his thoughts when he heard his granddaughter say, "Granddad, where's my brother? It's his turn."

He looked around for a moment and then remembered that he had said after the mini-game, that he needed to get a cup of water. He smiled at Ashley, and said, "I think 'e headed to get some water. I'll see what's keepin' the lad."

As he turned towards the door to the room, and stopped when he saw his grandson come running in, with a look of fear on his face. He then saw the boy rush him, and give him a hug. Before he could ask what was wrong, he heard his grandson say, "The monster is out there. I saw it, but I don't think it saw me. We need to tell Daddy."

Sean was taken back by that news. He knew that part of what Richard and Yvette did was protect the world from monsters. However, something nagged at him when he heard the words. He quickly went to the intercom, and activated it. "Richard, if ye can answer me, I have a question for ye."

Almost in an instant, he heard his son-in-law say over the intercom, "I was just concluding the tour for the new students. What was it you were wondering about?"

He took a quick breath, and then said, "Lad, your son just said he saw a monster in one of the halls. Do ye have any idea what might have prompted the lad to say that?"

He waited, and something told him that something bad was about to happen. Richard had gone silent. He was about ready to ask again, when the intercom came to life. "Sean, I want you to get all the kids in the special game room. Push the red button next to the console they have the game on, and enter the special room. What ever you do, don't finish the game until I come for you all. You and the kids will be safe."

When the intercom clicked off, Sean felt scared. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but if it worried his son-in-law, he wasn't going to wait. He looked at the kids, and said, "Alright, kids, we need to do as yur father said. Joleen, push the button as Richard said, and everyone into the room." He then watched as Joleen did as she was told, and saw the next room had changed into a life size version of the game they were just playing.

As they entered the room, he heard Joleen say to the others, "Don't worry. I'm sure your father will chase the monster off. Now, let's all try to finish this game, since we can't do anything else." He then watched as the kids continued their game. Of course, while they tried not to worry, he was going to be worried sick. He didn't know how long it would take, and he didn't really know what was out there.

---------------------------  
IX. Richard  
---------------------------

Richard Cale stood at the intercom for a moment, and then stepped back. This day was turning into a nightmare. However, he was thankful that Yvette and some of the students were at Lakeside Mall. The only downside was that there was only two teachers at the school. He then pushed the intercom button again and said, "Darrett, get up to my office now." He let go of the button, and looked at the new students. He then looked at them, and James and Kiana, who had joined on the tour, and said, "It looks like for right now, you are going to have to go to a secure room. We have an intruder inside the school building."

He was surprised when Samantha looked at him and said, "Who is this intruder, one of the Knights Of Humanity?"

He shook his head and said, "No, it's something far worse. I'm not going to hide this from any of you, but there is a evil mutant here. He's know to feed off other mutants and their powers. We believe he's linked to the 'Rippers'. Right now, I want all of you to be in safety, and Darrett will take you to a special secure room."

As he waited for Darrett to arrive, he started to pace behind his desk. How did Emplate manage to get past all the security devices? However, just as he wondered it, the answer hit him. D.O.A. had some how managed to find a way to get Emplate inside the school.

He continued to pace, but stopped when he heard James say, "Is there anything we can do to help? Surely our skills would be able to stop him."

Richard shook his head and said, "Right now, that is out of the question, James. The foe that is in here has the power of knowledge on sight. The more powerful your ability is, the more he will know. He will know your secrets, and your fears. I don't want any of you facing him until you have more training." It was that moment that Darrett had opened the door. He looked up at Darrett and said, "Darrett, get all of them down to the secret room. It looks like Emplate has shown up."

He watched as a startled look crossed Darrett's face, and then heard him say, "And it's just you and me here. I'll take the kids down to the room. Do you want me to join you looking for him?"

He just shook his head. "No. I can handle it alone. Right now, we need to get them all to safety. Sean and the little ones are safe in the game room." He then turned to the kids and said, "All of you, follow Darrett." As they started to move, he noticed that Kiana wasn't moving. He looked at her and said, "Kiana, I said to follow Darrett."

When she spoke, he was surprised by the one fact he had forgotten. "What about Tasha? One of us should go get her." He then remembered that Tasha was feeling under the weather, and he remembered that a scene like this had played out before years before.

He motioned to Darrett to move. When Darrett and the others were gone, he said to Kiana, "I forgot about her. I think the intruder has been attacking her in her sleep. I want you to get into her room, and get her to safety. She may have marks on her body somewhere. They will look like circular wounds. Those are signs that our intruder has supped on her powers. If you encounter him, run away for now. Do you understand?" When she nodded, he then said, "Grimore should be nearby, so I want you to go with him. He is a very special cat, and has special powers. Do not be surprised if he talks with you. Just tell him I want him to watch over you." He watched as she nodded and then headed out of the office. He then grabbed his sword, and headed out. He need to find Emplate before Emplate attacked anyone else.

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X. Marius  
---------------------------

Marius St. Croix watched the door to Cale's office, but stayed out of synch with reality. It was the perfect way to hide, especially with all the psi's out of the place. The only one that could detect him now was Richard Cale. Of course, he was keeping an eye on where Cale was.

When he had discovered that the young African girl, Tasha, had psi powers, this plan had formed. All he needed was the opportunity. With most of the student, and teachers, out of the building, it would be easy to invade and take control. He even started supping on Tasha as she slept. Of course, it made her feel ill when she woke, but he knew she wasn't aware it was happening. He had even snuck into her room after he discovered Yvette's plan to go to the mall. He even told his beloved, Elane, to take some of the others to ambush the others at the mall.

He then watched as a young girl walked into the hall that lead to the girl's dorm area. He also heard her call for the cat as she walked out of sight. He had been careful to avoid Grimore. He knew the cat had secrets of his own. He then watched as Richard Cale left the room, and started down the other direction.

Marius felt a smile cross his face as he started to follow Cale. Years ago, Richard had managed to break what little control he had on Yvette. He was determined to ruin the mutant for that. Of course, once his foe was dead, he'd return Yvette to her life as a servent and meal. There was also another perk to it. He could get all the secrets that the Cale family held. They would be a great addition to his powers since his father's untimely demise. Soon, he saw Cale stop, and heard him say, "I know you are in the castle, Emplate. Where are you?"

He smiled and phased into reality. He smiled and said, "Right behind you, Skitz." He watched as his foe turned, and he unleashed a psi-bolt. He then heard Skitz shout in pain, and watched as the man collapsed.

He then started to advance, and said, "You should have realized I would use Tasha's power. She's very powerful. Of course, she needs to learn to control those abilities. Almost a shame she won't get the chance. It seems her psi-bolts can have a lingering affect. I know Yvette's healing factor might allow you to recover quicker than someone else, but let's see how it can handle that, and some supping." He then started to reach down, and prepared to take some of Skitz's powers through the maw on his hand.

Chapter End


	14. Shopping Disasters

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 14: Shopping Disasters

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I. Clarice  
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Clarice Furgeson Thomas sat behind the wheel of the vehicle as they approached Lakeside Mall. It had been a while since she had been to Lakeside Mall, but she was thankful to be there. Of course, they had four of the students with them, but that was alright. It was good for them to get a day out like this as well, especially with all that was happening at the school.

She also realized that the teachers needed it as well. In fact, during the whole drive, she had heard many of them remark how long it had been since they were all together like this. The only exception to that was Davis Skinur, but that was due to what had happened in the past.

She also noticed that during the drive to Lakeside, Yvette Cale and Jubilation Thomas were talking quietly amongst themselves. She had been wondering what the two were up to. Ever since the day she had joined up with Generation X, back at the Massachucetts Academy, the two talked and acted like sisters. Usually, when she had seen something like that, they were talking about private stuff. She started to wonder if one of them had a special reason for coming to Lakeside.

As she thought about it, she started to realize why Yvette had decided to suggest the trip. In the past weeks, Yvette had been using her primary ability more than she had in the past five years. In that time, Yvette had stopped getting outfits that wouldn't be ruined by her sharp skin whenever she used her power. Of course, she knew Yvette still had an abundance of clothes to handle her powers, but she had figured out why Yvette had need to come to Lakeside.

It was at this time, that she had also spotted a parking spot, and parked the vehicle. She turned the vehicle off, and said to everyone, "Alright everyone, we're here." She then turned to look back at everyone, and noticed that Davis, who had been sitting in the front passenger seat turned as well.

She watched as Yvette spoke from the back of the vehicle. "Alright everyone, since we've had some close encounters at the school, and in the open. I want someone to stay with the students." Clarice watched as all the students turned to face Yvette. "Now I know you kids might want to go somewhere, so I'll let you choose where to go. Where you go, I'll have certain teachers go with you."

She wasn't surprised when she heard Anne Smith say, "Well, I did want to check W.H. Smith for some more science fiction books."

She also wasn't surprised when Thomas Jacobs said, "I'll go there too. Maybe I'll find a book as well." She realized the real reason that Thomas wanted to go to the book store. She could tell he had a crush on Anne.

She then heard both Kevin Mitchel and Amy Johnson say, "We want to head to HMV." She had seen them in town many times, and could tell they were close friends with the possibility of being more.

She then watched as Yvette nodded and said, "Alright. This is how it's going to work out. Clarice and Everett, I want you two to head with Anne and Thomas. Monet and Davis, you two can go with Kevin and Amy. Jubilation and I will be heading elsewhere in the mall. We will all meet back at the entrance in about an hour."

Clarice watched as everyone got out of the vehicle, and waited until Yvette was about to get out. "Yvette, can I ask you something for a moment?"

She watched as her friend nodded, and then turned to Jubiliation. "I'll be right out, 'sis'." She then saw Jubiliation step away from the vehicle, and she felt nervous about what she was about to ask, especially as Yvette looked at her. "What's up, Clarice?"

Clarice looked at Yvette. "Listen Yvette, I figured out what prompted this trip. You need to get some items at La Senza, right." She watched as Yvette nodded slowly. She hoped Yvette wouldn't get too upset at her next words. "I know you want me to help keep an eye on Anne and Thomas. Could you stop by Ann Summers for me?" She froze when she saw Yvette's eyes glow bright blue. She could tell that she shouldn't have asked her question.

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II. Everett  
---------------------------

Everett Thomas stood outside the mall, next to his wife, and facing the two students that he and Clarice were going to look after. Clarice was still in the vehicle, along with Yvette. As they waited, he turned to his wife and said, "Jubes, what are you and Yvette going to do in the mall?"

He watched as his wife gave him a playful smile. "We are just going to do some 'sister'ly bonding. Yvette wants my opinion on a purchase." He then watched as she leaned over to his ear and said, "Maybe I might get a little something to surprise you with later."

He had a feeling what his wife meant by that, without knowing where they were going. He was about to confirm his suspicions when he heard Yvette shout as she came out of the vehicle. "I'm not going into that store, Clarice. I went in there with you once when we first moved to England. Never again. If you want to go there, either go before we leave or tell Everett you plan to go there while the students are in the store."

He was stunned by Yvette's shout, since he couldn't remember ever hearing her shout in anger like that. He stepped back when Yvette just looked at his wife and said, "Come on, 'sis'. Let's get in the mall and to the store quickly." He watched as he wife followed Yvette, and watched as they entered.

He waited for Clarice to get to his side before asking the new question on his mind. He also kept it soft so the students didn't hear. "Clairice, what did you ask Yvette?"

He watched as Clarice started to blush, which just meant her skin turned a darker shade of lavender. "I asked her to stop by the one store. I realized I shouldn't have asked. I took her in there once, and once she saw some of the items in the store, she swore she'd never enter again." He realized she said all that softly, since the students were in earshot. He also decided not to press the topic any farther, especially when it meant that he'd be delving into things he really didn't want to know about Clarice and Darrett's private life.

He sighed when they entered the mall and said, "Well, since I'm a bit new here, let's stick together and all head to W.H. Smith. Clarice, care to show us the way?" He watched as she nodded and he followed her as she headed to the store.

As they walked, he looked around at the size and beauty of Lakeside mall. He had never been in a mall outside of America. He figured the biggest differences would be in the stores in the place. He even wondered if he's see a name that he'd recognized in America.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Thomas say, "Everett, why does Yvette call you wife, 'Sis'. Are they really related to each other, because they don't appear to be of the same background."

He shook his head. "No, they aren't related, but when Yvette first came to the school, my wife was very kind to her, and was very concerned for her health. Once Yvette learned to control her ability, she would refer to Jubilation as 'sister' or 'sis'."

Everett watched as Thomas seemed to nod in understanding, and then walked into the store. He looked up and realized they had reached the book store. He quickly looked into the store again, and realized he lost Anne and Thomas. He quickly spied Clarice and said, "Clarice, where did the students go?"

He watched as she looked around, trying to see past some of the bookshelves, and said, "They must be looking around. They aren't about to leave with out us, and we have time to kill, so let's look around. Besides, your aura can find them." He quickly realized she was right, and let his panic subside. He then followed her farther in the store. Maybe this trip to the mall would allow them to relax after the past few weeks at the school.

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III. Anne  
---------------------------

Anne Smith had entered the store while Thomas was talking with their one teacher, Everett Thomas. Deep down, she was thankful that they were preoccupied. When she went in a bookstore, she liked to study the shelves in quiet. It was the only way she could remember which books she had in her library. Besides, if they knew something about her by now, it was her love of science-fiction.

Of course, while she studied the shelves, she started to wonder about the teachers who had went with her and Thomas. She rememberd noticing that Everett looked very similar to Clarice's husband, Darrett. It almost reminded her of a story on cloning she had heard about. She wondered if that was the reason for the similarities.

She was about to look for the book, when she noticed Thomas Jacobs was leaning against the one shelf. She couldn't believe that he had found her location in the bookshelves, but remembered his power was literally luck altering. She looked at him, noticing he was looking at an opposite shelf with a blank look. "Are you following me in the store, Thomas?"

He shook his head, but said, "Not really, but I think we should stick together. I mean you never know what can happen, and maybe I can help you find a book you are looking for." She watched as leaned back, bumping the shelf behind him, and causing a book to fall. She watched as he looked at it and said, "Hmm. Looks like this one is about clones and such."

She took the book from his hands, and looked it over. It wasn't a title she had read, but given her current thoughts, it might give her some insight. She looked back at Thomas and said, "I was just thinking about this topic. Let me ask you something, Thomas, have you ever noticed the similarities between Darrett and Everett. I mean they look similar, don't they?"

She watched as he thought about it and then nodded. "I can see what your saying. They are probably brothers or cousins. You don't think they are clones, do you?"

She could tell he thought she was nuts for even thinking it. She then looked at him and said, "It's not a crazy idea. You've heard about that Multiple Man character. He literally clones himself all the time."

She watched as he raised his hands. "Alright. You don't have to convince me. So what do you think is the story behind them?"

He leaned against the same bookself he was leaning on. "I don't know. They have to be related. Maybe one of them is from an alternate timelines. Remember when some of our teachers mentioned about alternate timelines existing?" She glanced over to see him looking straight ahead, possibly in thought. "Do you even think our teachers have seen other timelines and universes?"

She was stunned as he said, "I don't know, but I think we should find them." She then watched as he pointed out towards the front of the store, and she felt fear fill her body. She saw two men entering the story, one covered by straps around his muscular form, and the other was purple in appearance with a strange purple mist around him.

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IV. Vincentte  
---------------------------

Vincentte entered the store along side of Bulwark. When they entered, he knew the people would hide or panic. They always reacted that way. He had even enjoyed watching some of the mall goers panic as they had moved through the building. However, now they were at the store with their particular objectives. He turned to Bulwark and said, "Remember, Bulwark, we are to capture the former Generation X members, and their students."

He watched as the big mutant looked around and simply said, "Da." It sounded more imposing with his thick German accent. He was sure it even scared two kids who had ducked behind one of the shelves. He glanced were they were standing, and remembered what D.O.A. had told them from his spying on them. The one girl was a science fiction buff. He was now sure the two kids were the students and were going to warn the two Generation X members that were watching them.

He turned to look at another area, and saw two familiar figures from Generation X. It was Synch and Blink. He wasn't sure what they were talking about, but he knew that right now they were unaware of their arrival. He motioned to Bulwark, saying, "Let's go say hello." He then started to hover over to the area, when he saw Blink look in his direction, and then push Synch behind the shelf.

He frowned at that. He was hoping they could nab at least two of the targets before getting discovered. He looked over at Bulwark and said, "Knock the stacks over. If were lucky, he can bury them in books, and then carry them out."

He watched then as the German brute walked over to the closest shelf, and punched it. He smiled as the shelves started to fall in a domino effect, and even got a rush as some people ran out from the shelves. He was even happy when he didn't see the targets run out.

Vincentte's happiness soon turned to disappointment when he heard a sound he had heard a few times before. It was the sound of people using one of Blink's portals. It was just as the fifth shelf started to topple. He wondered where the four had disappeared to, and waited for a moment. It was possible that they were no longer in the store.

In a moment, he listened very carefully, knowning with part of his body in it's gas form, he could detect sound that wasn't at his ears. He then heard something like, "We need to come up with a plan while they think we have disappeared." They were still in the store. It gave him a better idea for capturing them.

He looked at Bulwark and said, "Be ready. I'm going to knock them out, as well as anyone else in the store. Then we can get them out of the place and back to the master's lair." He watched as the German nodded, and then started to spread himself out. He turned more of his body in to gas, and let his body fill the room. He knew no one would be able to breathe, and he'd know when people passed out. It would only be a matter of time before the targets would fall. As he spread out, he also wondered how the others were fairing with their targets.

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V. Monet  
---------------------------

Monet St Croix walked passed many storefronts in Lakeside Mall, with Kevin Mitchel, Amy Johnson and Davis Skinur. She still wasn't sure what had prompted this mall trip on the day a new student was arriving at the Cale Institute, but she was sure it had been Yvette's idea. The only real complaint she had about it was that she was with Davis Skinur. She was aware that Davis had not totally been responsable for his actions in the past, but she was still unsure about him. What really made her nervous was that he seemed to be fixated on her. Something she noticed back when the Rippers had attacked the school.

As they neared the store, she heard Davis say, "Wow, this is just like the Virgin Megastore in the New York City. I don't think I've ever seen a store with this much diversity in it. Mind you, it's been years since I was in that store. Are all the music stores like that over here in England?"

She watched as Kevin shook his head and said, "No, the one in London is much bigger. This one only has a fraction of what they have to offer. The one in London usually gets imports in from other countries."

She glanced over at that and watched Davis. She was wondering what he would seek out in the store. She had a suspicion of what he would get, but was stunned when he said, "Well, I hope they have a nice New Age section. I've been meaning to find more music like that." She watched as he started moving towards the New Age section.

She was so dumbstruck by the action she almost jumped when Amy said, "Kevin and I are going to check out the DVD section. I know there are a few movies that we both like." She then watched as the two teenagers went over to the DVD section of the store.

She quickly nodded, and then set up a psi-link with them. _"Alright, Kevin, Amy. I shall be keeping a psi-link on you. If at any moment something happens, contact me."_ She then walked over to the New Age section, and over to Davis.

She couldn't believe that he was checking out instrumentals in that section, as well as Enya. She walked over to him, and softly said, "When did you start listening to this music, Davis?"

She watched as he continued going through the CD's. "Shortly before I started helping at Godiva's museum. After the whole escapade five years ago, Richard asked my time be reduced, especially after everything that happened with Apocolypse. I started getting my life back on track. I never realized how that bastard had brainwashed me." She watched as he shook his head. She had never seen this side of him, but then her past encounters with him weren't entirely pleasent. She then heard him say, "Besides, all that time, I forgot what some music like this meant to my family. Ever since the 70's, my family held a soft spot for Gordan Lightfoot."

She was stunned by that, and just looked at Davis. "Why is that?"

She gasped when she heard his response. "A relative was on the Edmund Fitzgerald. After it went down, Gordon Lightfoot wrote a song about it. I still listen to it everyday. With my powers, it has a healing effect on me, body and soul." She had never realized why Richard had been willing to bring Davis here, but she was sure he knew about all this. She also started to see a new, and better side to the mutant that was formerly Soundwave.

---------------------------  
VI. Kevin  
---------------------------

Kevin Mitchel looked over the DVD's with Amy Johnson. It was nice that they had a chance to leave the school, even if it was only for a few hours. Of course, this was also an good time for them to think about things other than the school. Eventually, the reached one section of DVD's devoted to horror and science-fiction. He pointed to one and said, "What do you think, Amy, would that Anne might enjoy?"

He watched as she shook her head and said, "I'm not sure. Anne might like it, since it is a science-fiction classic." He watched as she pointed to one with what looked like a moth on the cover. "What about that one? Maybe we can even get it as a gift for the Cales. If I remember right, their anniversary is in a few months."

He nodded and said, "Yes, and given what we saw in that secret room, it might be what they are interested in. Maybe we should watch it before we give it to them. Just to see if it's something they would like."

He smiled when Amy giggled a bit. "Last time we did that, we were checking out the movie I was going to give my cousin. We were lucky to get that one put away before she walked in. Do you know how much trouble we would have been in if we were caught watching that?"

He smiled and said, "Well, it's not like we were watching a mature movie. We were only watching a Disney movie."

He watched as she looked at him and said, "Yes, but we were watching it alone. My father, if he had caught us, would have never let you in the house again." He then watched as she smiled at him. "Of course, I enjoyed that movie the most because we watched it together."

Kevin returned the smile. "That's why I enjoyed it as well." He then glanced over at the store entrance, and noticed a couple entering. He noticed that the woman was wearing gloves, and something about those gloves made him worry. He then glanced over at Amy and said, "I think we better go over to Davis and Monet. Something about the two that entered makes me worry."

He watched as the two looked around the store, and saw Amy noticed as they seemed to be looking over at the New Age section, which was were Monet and Davis was. "I think you are right to worry. I'm going to alert Monet to them since she set up the psi-link. Let's just get over to them." He nodded at her, and they started to head over to the section. As they moved, he hoped that they didn't attract the attention of the new people in the store.

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VII. Freeze Frame  
---------------------------

Freeze Frame entered the store called HMV with Britney by his side. As they entered the place, he looked over everything. He knew what they had to do. He leaned over to Britney and said, "Remember, we must detain and even capture Emplate's sister. Any of the others with her are extra. If we don't get them here, Emplate will be ready for them."

He smiled as she giggled. "I know. Monet will not expect me to be using powers like Jubilee's. It will be enough to catch her off guard. Do we know anything about the other's powers?"

He nodded as he glanced towards the New Age section. "Soundwave, who is the guy with her, might be the most dangerous in this place. His powers are music based. I'll freeze him before they realize what is happening. I'll also pulse them just before the time limit runs out, to extend his frozen place in time. Hopefully that can give you enough time to subdue Monet. Just remember, you don't just have Jubilee's powers. You also have Aura's powers as well."

He watched as she glanced over at the DVD section, and noticed two teenagers leaving the section and heading the direction of the New Age section. "Looks like those two kids are heading to our targets. Do you think they noticed us?"

He thought about it. They hadn't shouted or anything, but that didn't mean that there wasn't a psi-link set up. He knew Monet was a gifted psi-mutant, as well as Yvette. If she didn't set up the link, that would mean that Yvette was already aware an attack was happening. He didn't like the idea of that scenario.

Freeze Frame quickly said to Britney, "Looks like we will have to speed up our attack. I'll freeze Soundwave now. You work fast to keep the others subdued and defeat Monet." He watched as she nodded, and then focused on the mutant he knew as Soundwave. As his powers kicked in, he felt the mutant being slowed by his powers, and eventually stopping. The man was now stuck in place, and unaware of what had happened. He then nodded at Britney to move forward.

As she stepped forward, he noticed the two teens talking to Monet and the other mutant. He knew the other wouldn't be moving, and he could see panic mounting on Monet's face. She was a good mutant, one that wasn't willing to make a scene. As he held Soundwave, he watched as Britney attacked, shooting sparks at the three others. He hoped they would stay together, so it would be an easier capture, but he had to keep his target frozen. He then felt like success was soon in their graps.

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VIII. Jubilation  
---------------------------

Jubilation Lee Thomas walked past all the storefronts at Lakeside Mall with her friend, Yvette Cassidy Cale. As they walked, she was surprised at how many people kept looking at them. "Yvette, don't tell me all these people are looking at you?" When her friend nodded, she couldn't believe it. "Yvette, I remember our days at school. You hated all this attention. You were even self conscious when we went swimming in the pool."

She was startled when Yvette leaned close and softly said, "A lot changes in five years. I've gotten used to the attention since Richard and I moved here. The only thing I can't get used to is the Paparazzi. It can make it difficult to run some errands when they are around. That's why I've been blocking our image from them. See that man over there?"

She glanced over towards a man standing in front of a store, looking left and right. She noticed that he had a camera in his hands. It was obvious to her that he was what Yvette was telling her about. "Let me guess, he's one of those Paparazzi's."

As Yvette started to slow, Jubilation heard her say, "He's one of the worst. He managed to follow us when we vacationed in Monte Carlo. He snapped a picture of me in my bathing suit, and sold it to to one of the rags here. I won't repeat what it said, but I didn't give them the satisfaction that I was angry."

Jubilation almost chuckled when she heard that. "Yvette, how could they have done anything with a picture of you in a bathing suit. All the times at school, you always wore one pieces."

She noticed then that Yvette was blushing as she said, "Well, it was our first vacation after having Richard III, and we were at a private villa with a private beach. I had decided to get a bikini that year. Actually, I didn't get to swim in it until the last day of our vacation. Every other time I put it on, Richard and I never made it to the beach."

Jubilation gasped when she heard that. "You mean to say that..." She didn't finish the thought as Yvette nodded. "How long was that after that birth of Richard III?"

She watched as Yvette stopped in front of one store, and said, "Hmmm, well, it was about two years, because after I had Richard III, Clarice and Darrett had Joleen. We had to wait until both were old enough to travel. That's why Ashley is about two years younger than Richard III."

She smiled at Yvette then. "I bet they are a joy. Hopefully Everett and I will be able to start a family soon. We've been so busy with work that we haven't really worked on having a family."

She then noticed that Yvette had a devilish smile on her face. "Well, 'sis', maybe we can find you something to help encourage Everett to start on that plan. Here we are at La Senza."

Jubilation just gapsed when she saw what store they were at. It reminded her of Victoria's Secret in the states. As she looked at it, she said to Yvette, "When did you start going in a store like this? You were scared to even set foot in a store like this alone in America?"

She watched as Yvette walked over to her, and started to lead her in the store. "Like I said, I've changed over the past five years, but at least this store is not as risque as the store Clarice likes. Besides, when we go in here, we will have the whole place to ourselves." She was stunned by this, but then remembered that sometimes being wealthy and of high status had its privileges.

---------------------------  
IX. Yvette  
---------------------------

Yvette Cale was glad when they had finally reached the store. Once they stepped in the store, she wouldn't have to worry about blocking them out of people's minds. As they headed towards the back of the store, she remember her first time entering the place almost five years ago. She had been bothered by the Paparazzi after Clarice had entered Anne Summers, and she still needed to get some things. It was the first time she had also met Monique. That particular clerk had been one to chase off the Paparazzi, and after that, always made sure the store was empty for when she came in.

As they walked through the racks of clothing in the store, she heard Jubilation ask, "Why is this place so empty right now?"

She wasn't surprised when Monique came from the back of the store. "It's empty because I knew Lady Cale was coming." She smiled as Jubilation look startled, and then saw Monique walking towards her. "Lady Cale, Yvette, good to see you again. It's been a while since you had to order some of the Lady Penny line."

She wasn't surprised when her friend looked at the clerk, and said, "Lady Penny line?"

She could tell Monique was about to say something to her friend, and said, "She's not aware of it, Monique. She's a friend of mine from America. She's helping out at the school my husband and I started. She's also like a sister to me."

She watched as Monique nodded, and then led them back to the sales counter. "I should have realized. Yvette Cale would never bring anyone but her closest friends in here." She then watched as Monique pulled out a package from behind the counter. "As always, in your size, and ready to handle your powers. You can try it on in the fitting room over there."

Yvette smiled and motioned to Jubilation, "Come over here. I want your opinion on it."

As they headed over to the fitting room, she heard her 'sister' ask, "Yvette, are you saying the Lady Penny line is..."

She nodded. "Yes. When we moved to England, and I started coming here, I made sure they had material to handle my powers. It ended up being so easy to work with, they wanted to make a whole line with it. Monique asked me what the line should be named, and I told her the nickname you always called me. Now, wait right here."

As she stepped into the fitting room and got ready to try on the new article, she heard Jubilation say, "A whole line. Do you get any money from it, since you basically supplied the material."

She finished putting the article on, and opened the fitting room door, showing the new article and how nice it looked. "A little, but it's not that important. When I pick up one, it's already paid for. They are made durable, but delicate."

She watched the look on Jubilation's face as she looked at her. "I can see that. Do you think you can get one of those for me?"

She smiled and headed back into the fitting room, and handed Jubilation the tag with it. "Go to Monique and ask her for this one, in your size. If she doesn't have one in stock, she'll arrange something."

She then closed the door, and started to pack things up. She then heard Jubilation gasp, and figured her 'sister' had looked at the tag. She was prepared to remind her that she had had two children, but froze as the walls of the fitting room came crashing in. She quickly reacted, and ducked down as the walls came down all over her, hoping that her tensed up form would protect her from injury. She also was wondering what was happening in the store.

---------------------------  
X. Elane  
---------------------------

Elane Bonstein, the mutant known as Aura, smiled as she use her aura to destory the fitting rooms in the store. That took care of one of the mutants she was after, which just left Jubilee. She gave her an evil grin as she said, "Long time, Jubilee. Guess who sends you his warm regards." She then swung her arm, and let her aura extend and knock the mutant off her feet. She had used a similar attack to knock the store clerk out of the way.

She wasn't surprised when her foe shot her fireworks at her. She closed her eyes briefly as the fireworks exploded, but she kept track of her foe as they said, "Two thing. I doubt Emplate has warm wishes for any of us, and the name is Lightshow now."

She blinked her eyes, and ducked when she realized her prey was ready to roundhouse kick her. As she ducked, she pushed her hand out, and let her aura push Jubilee, correction, Lightshow into the far war, knocking some clothing racks down in the process.

As she stood up, she watched as her foe stood, and took a few heavy breaths. "How did you end up here, Aura?"

Aura smiled, knowing the answer would shock her foe. "Simple. The same way my lover has been sneaking into that school of yours. He heard of Yvette's little plan to head out, and decided now would be the right time to attack. Vincentte and Bulwark is attacking Synch and whoever is with him. Freeze Frame and Britney are attacking M and whoever is with her. Take a wild guess where Emplate is."

She watched as the horror of the situation sunk in. "He's at the school, with Richard, Darrett and the kids. And news of Tasha being sick was because of Emplate was feeding off her."

Aura nodded and started to push with her aura, pushing her foe into the wall. "Yes. And with Darrett still not back up to snuff, Richard is the only one who can fight Emplate, and you do know what happened the last time."

She smiled when a look of horror crossed Lightshow's face. That one was quickly replaced by the look of someone struggling to breathe. She even felt through her aura that the mutant's breathing was getting slower. She knew he foe wasn't about to try and speak while being crushed. She also saw that her foe was trying to point her hand at Aura. She smiled when she saw her foe was having a hard time creating one of her fireworks.

Aura was all prepared to see her foe collapse, but was startled when she heard a sound of movement. She dropped the aura, knowing it would take a few minutes for Jubilation to recover, and glanced at what used to be the fitting rooms. She was stunned to see a clawed hand coming out of the rubble. She then watched as Penance clawed her way out of the rubble. She was stunned, because she figured that Penance would have stayed under the rubble when her power ruined her clothing. She hadn't expected that Penance had on specially made clothing. However, she did realize that Penance was missing her blouse, which meant it was buried in the rubble. But the situation now meant she had to deal with two mutants instead of one, and that was a scenario she wasn't sure she could succeed at the present time.

Chapter End


	15. Welcome Retreats

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 15: Welcome Retreats

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I. Yvette  
---------------------------

Lady Yvette Cassidy Cale clawed her way out of the rubble, and she wasn't happy. This outing was supposed to be relaxing, and she had taken precautions to make sure they wouldn't be bothered. She had blocked their images from all the Paparazzi, made sure that she and Jubilation would not be bothered when they came to the store they were now in. It was supposed to be a quiet day out.

However, that wasn't the case at all. Now, her jacket and some other articles of clothing was buried in what was left of the fitting room. Luckily, all the clothing she now wore could handle the ultra sharp skin of the mutant known as Penance. When she saw who had caused the problems, her blood momentarily froze, and then was hit with a flush of anger. "Aura," was all she said, and she heard the hatred she had for the woman in every syllable of the word.

She noticed at that time that Aura seemed a bit scared, but saw the look of fear fade into one of confidence. "Yes, it's me Penance. I'm surprised you came out of the rubble. I'm aware of your self-consciousness issues, and figured you'd be too scared to come out. I guess I should have known you would had on specially made clothing."

She smirked at Aura. She wasn't about to let the evil mutant know that if the attack had come seconds sooner, her plan would have worked. She then said, "It's been five years since you personally got involved in a battle with us. We've learned a lot of new tricks since then." She glanced over at Jubilation, and saw the girl nod slightly. It was a bluff, and they had to hope Aura was buying it. Ever since the battle that preceded the closing of the school, not many of the Generation X members saw battles. In fact the only serious battle they had was back when the 'Rippers' had attacked the school over a week ago.

It was then she noticed Aura was now smirking. "Oh yes, the great Lady Penance has learned a new trick. Hiding behind closed doors until her hubby says it's safe to come out. Your cousin, D.O.A. told me how you had gone into hiding when the 'Rippers' attacked. He had been watching the whole thing."

She felt a rage building in her, and she lunged at Aura. She was stunned when Aura pushed slightly in the air, and she was knocked back towards the wrecked fitting rooms. She paused for a moment, and then said, "I knew Emplate was behind the 'Rippers'. When this is over, I'm going to ..."

Penance stopped speaking as a psychic scream ripped through her mind. She reached up and held her head as she staggered for a moment. There was only one thing that could affect her like that. Her husband, Richard, was in pain. She could even tell the source of the pain, because it was a pain she was familiar with. Emplate was supping on her husband, and it felt as if her husband was also dying.

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II. Elane  
---------------------------

Elane Bonstien grinned evilly when Penance collapsed. She could tell that her lover, the mutant known as Emplate, had attacked her adopted cousin. The look of pain that crossed Penance's face was priceless. It was also the distraction she needed. She quickly thrust her hand out, and her aura pushed Penance toward the wrecked fitting rooms. She then smiled at her advesary and said, "Sounds like my lover has met with your husband."

She had been so focused on Penance that she forgot about Jubilee, or as she called herself now, Lightshow. She suddenly remembered the other mutant, when she was suddenly blinded. It had been a bright flash of light that had done it, and she screamed. "I may have forgotten briefly about you, 'Lightshow', but you won't get drop on me this easily."

Aura listened for a moment, and heard something flying at her. She moved her other hand in front of her, and let her aura act as a shield. With that one in place, she heard something bounce off and fly in another direction. As more items bounced, she heard Lightshow say, "You can't fend off everything I throw at you, Aura."

She let a wide smile cross her lips. "Of course I can. I may not be able to see you at the moment, but I can keep your attacks at bay. Can't you figure out that if Penance is in pain, then her beloved Skitz is in pain. That means that my lover is winning." She kept blocking the attacks, and focusing on pushing Penance into the rubble.

Aura was surprised when someone kicked her in the back, and she went flying. She landed just as her sight recovered and saw she was just inside the door of the store. She turned just in time to see Lightshow was creating a large plasma orb. She also saw the woman who had been behind the register standing there, and she realized that it must have been the salesgirl who had kicked her.

Aura quickly got up, and said, "That was a mistake, girl. You have no idea of who are you are dealing with."

She then saw Lightshow throw the orb in her direction. She wasn't going to get blasted by another blinding flash and held up her hands. However, by the time she put her hands up, the orb exploded, and sent her flying out of the store. As she flew, she heard the mutant say, "And so was that, Aura. I was expecting you to do that. It may have been years, but you still fall for the unexpected."

When she landed, she got up, and looked at the store. She then glanced out at a bunch of Paparazzi. She wasn't sure why they were there, but a new plan was forming. She could use their presence to her advantage. She may have failed in capturing Yvette and Jubilation, but she could slow them down from trying to get out of the place.

The fight in the store had gotten the attention of some of the Paparazzi, but as of yet, none of them had come down to see the source. Of course, they wouldn't since they didn't know Yvette was down here. Aura had wondered how they had gotten past them, but realized that Yvette must have blocked them from view in the minds of the Paparazzi. Now all that was going to change. She got up, and shouted at the top of her lungs. "You may have won this one, Yvette Cale, but it isn't over." She then ran away from the Paparazzi, letting her aura conceal her from sight. She may have failed in her task, but Yvette and Jubilation would not escape without being noticed by the Paparazzi, and starting a media frenzy.

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III. Jubilation  
---------------------------

Jubilation Thomas was glad when Aura had fled. What had started as a nice day out had become a threat on their lives. However, they had survived, but the way Aura had talked, the others were under attack, which included those at the school. In fact, Aura's words when she ran were a bit comforting. She had run away, and things were in the clear. She then turned to tell Yvette that it looked like things were in the clear, but was surprised when Yvette dived behind the counter. She also noticed a concerned look cross Monique's face.

It was then she remembered all the people they had passed on the way to the store. She quickly ran to the counter and looked behind it. Before, when they had entered, Yvette carried herself as confident and outgoing. Now, she appeared to be the same girl she had known when they were in Xavier's School, timid and shy. She looked at Yvette and said, "You're worried about the Paparazzi, aren't you?"

She watched as Yvette nodded. "Yes. Those vultures would have a field day if they got a picture of me like this in the ruined store." She understood Yvette's point, and then realized it would effect the school as well.

She turned to Monique, who had helped them in the battle with Aura. "Do you have some way of helping us? We didn't intend for this to happen." She saw the girl smile, and then nod. "Thank you."

Monique walked behind the desk, and pulled out a jacket, which she handed to Yvette. "Not a problem. Lady Cale isn't the only big name to use the store. Besides, I know how she thinks. I had brought a spare jacket just in case. I know it's not exactly Lady Cale's favorite style, but it will allow her to keep her dignity. Now, I'll keep the Paparazzi at bay. You two can duck out the back entrance. Luckily, I can see the wrecked fitting rooms aren't blocking it."

Jubilation nodded at Monique, and then helped Yvette get up. "Come on. It might be the only way we can keep this from turning into a media fiasco." She led Yvette out the rear door, and down the hallway that was behind the stores.

As they walked, she noticed Yvette was putting on the jacket. "Monique was right I would never wear this jacket. It reminds me of that outfit Emplate had me wear." She then looked at her friend, and saw that Yvette had the jacket almost closed. "If it wasn't a January afternoon, I wouldn't have even bothered fastening it all the way up."

Soon, her friend brought them back to the reality of the situation. "We need to get back to the school. Emplate had attacked the school, and he's hurting Richard. I hope that they are able to fend off Emplate."

Jubilation looked at her and said, "Now Yvette, you know Darrett would not let..." She stopped in mid-sentance as the thought crossed her mind. Darrett still hadn't fully recovered from the 'Ripper' attack, and there were the kids, which were most likely in the secret room in the castle. She then looked at Yvette and said, "You're right, we need to get back. And let's hope the kids are as resourceful as we were in our Generation X days."

She watched as a smile of hope crossed Yvette's face, and they neared the end of the hall, to a door that would lead back into the mall. As they neared, she heard Yvette say _"Everyone, we need to get back to the car, and head back to school. I hope you can all get there soon. Emplate is attacking."_ She then hoped that no one else was under attack, but deep down, she knew that was a long shot. Jubilation then hoped her husband was all right.

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IV. Amy  
---------------------------

Amy Johnson couldn't believe what had happened when they went over to Monet St. Croix and Davis Skinur. Only minutes earlier, they had entered one of many branches of HMV in the country. Now, the numerous shelfs of music were turning into a battle field.

She had a feeling this was coming when she had seen the arrival of the strange girl wearing the equally strange gloves, and the man who was with her. He looked like an average person, until she caught a glimpse of his hands. From what she had heard about them, the hands had the tell-tale marks of him being part of the 'Rippers.' This was something new, and she wanted to tell both the teachers about it, but when she and Kevin started talking, it had appeared that Davis had stopped moving.

She quickly turned to Monet, and said, "Monet, I mean, Ms. St Croix. What is happening?"

She was almost startled when Monet said, "Get behind something, both of you. Don't come out until I tell you to. If anything happens to me, get out of here." She then watched her one teacher start to advance on the newcomers. "So, Britney, it was true. You helped Emplate all along, and both of you are part of his 'Rippers'."

Amy felt Kevin pull her behind a nearby rack of CD's as he said, "We better do as Monet wants. Something tells me she fought them before. I just wish I knew why Davis isn't doing anything." She had wondered about that too. Even from her first class with Davis, she learned his power was music based. In this store, with all the music playing on the speakers, he should be doing something more than standing there like a statue.

When they were safely behind the rack, she saw the girl push her hands forward, and was stunned to see Monet flying backwards through the store, as if she had been pushed. She wondered what had happened, and then heard the stranger girl say, "Surprise, Monet. I may not have mutant powers like you, but these gloves let me use any powers that have been used on me. Aura helped test them out. And as you can guess, Freeze Frame has your friend stopped cold."

She quickly ducked down, and turned to Kevin. "Kevin, do you think that means he put Davis into a real life pause?" She watched as he nodded and then looked at the scene. It didn't look good at all. The woman with the gloves, who Monet had called Britney, kept pushing Monet back, and she could see Monet was tiring. Now, they needed to figure out how to stop the attack.

As she thought, she looked down at the floor, and remembered that almost every store in the mall had a carpeting of sorts. Just that quick, a plan came to her mind. She also understood what Lord Cale had been thinking when he said they should pick out codenames. She looked at Kevin again. "I have a plan, Switchover. Can you change the whole rug into a sheet of ice, or something frictionless."

She watched as he placed his hands on the rug, and watched as they started to glow. Soon she saw the rug slowly start to change. As it did so, she heard him say, "I've never changed anything this large before, Voice. Mr. Thomas always had me stick with small items. I may not be able to switch the whole floor."

She smiled at him and said, "As long as the change effects the floor under the two attackers, it'll be fine." She then looked around the corner of the rack they were hiding behind, and watched as the floor slowly changed, and soon saw that both the attackers were on the new slick floor. She quickly motioned her friend to stop, and set the next part of her plan into motion.

---------------------------  
V. Britney  
---------------------------

Britney could not believe how well the plan was working. When Emplate had told them of the plan to divide and conquer the former Generation X team, she had her doubts. However, now that they had almost captured their targets, it wouldn't be long until she and Freeze Frame would be joining Aura and the others after they got their targets.

She was almost upset that Monet St. Croix, the sister of her master, Emplate, would be unconscious for her defeat. She knew Monet was tough, but she had thought things out. She set it up that the aura from one glove would act as a brace for when she pushed the mutant into the far wall. She'd then use the pushing hand to push all the air out of Monet. Of course, the resulting damage to the store was a fringe benefit, especially since the store had started playing Spice Girls on the speakers.

Just as she managed to get Monet slammed against the back wall, she was started when a voice said, "I think you forgot about the two kids, Voice and Switchback." She tried to pinpoint the voice, but not turn her attention away from Monet. She even thought that with Monet's psi powers, that it was a last ditch effort to distract her. She stole a quick glance to see if Freeze Frame was still holding Davis Skinur, who she knew was Soundwave, still, and saw he was.

Soon she heard the voice again, and now she could tell it was coming from behind her. "You're so focused on her, you forget others can sneak up behind you." She didn't want to let up on Monet, but saw that her victim was having a hard time breathing. It would take her a few moments to recover, and Britney knew she had time to strike out at the person behind her.

She quickly spun around, and when she was sure she was facing the one taunter, she slipped. The floor under her was now ice. What was even worse, was the fact that she saw no one. Of course, she didn't have time to ponder this point, since she realized she was now sliding right towards Freeze Frame. She needed to stop the slide, and went to try to use one of the powers her gloves had.

She knew Aura's power would be no help, and that left Jubilee's power. She didn't want to aim straight ahead, because if she did, she would hit Freeze Frame. She thought to aim in another direction, but it might make her spin as well. However she didn't have enough time to pick, and she realized that as she rammed into Freeze Frame, and he landed on top of her.

In another time and place, she wouldn't have minded this, but now it was a bad thing. It was mainly because she now saw that Davis Skinur had started to move, and recover from being frozen. With the fact that the music in the store was still playing, despite the chaos of the battle, she knew that soon they would lose their part of the plan. She just inwardly hoped that Aura and Vincentte would be successful in their parts of the plan, while the master was attacking the Cale residence and new school.

---------------------------  
VI. Davis  
---------------------------

Davis Skinur blinked twice when he realized something wasn't right. It seemed only a second ago, Monet St Croix had been standing next to him, as he explained something that meant alot to his family. Now she wasn't at his side, and the two students were hiding behind one of the racks nearby. He glanced to his left, and saw Monet was now against the far wall, gasping for breath.

He quickly turned to his right, and saw that the floor in front of him was now ice, and two figures were spralled on the floor. He wasn't entirely sure, but he felt they were linked to whatever had happend.

Those thoughts were confirmed when Kevin Mitchel ran over to him, with Amy Johnson, and said, "Harmonic, those two had attacked you and Lady X. The guy somehow held you frozen, while the woman attacked Lady X."

He nodded that he understood, and looked at the two as they tried to get up. "Voice, Switchover, run back and help Lady X up. She'll be fine in a moment or two, but I want you two with her."

He waited until the kids had done as told, before he looked straight at the two attackers. He knew exactly who they were. The woman, whose name was Britney, he had heard had been a normal girl who had betrayed her friends when they had gone to the Xavier School in Massachusetts for help. The man, however, was a mutant whose name was Freeze Frame. It was his power to freeze anyone for five minutes.

He looked at the two, and let a wide grin cross his face. "So you two Emplate 'wannabe's thought you could stop us. Too bad you didn't even think of what the kids' powers might be. Well, you've learned the effects of their powers, even if you don't know them. Now it's time to find out what I can do."

He met their gaze, and knew then he had them. He could see that Freeze Frame was still trying to get up, and that Britney was trying to do the same. He could feel the malice in their gaze, but it wouldn't help them any. He then smiled and let the music from the Spice Girls song course through his body. He remembered the video that went with that song, and focused on the fighting kicks some of the girls did.

Almost instantly, he saw the two attackers go flying through the store, as if they had been kicked. When they landed, just inside the door of the store, he saw Freeze Frame get up, and say, "This isn't over, Generation X. And I won't forget about you either, Sound..."

Davis choose that moment to focus on the two attackes. He made the sound waves give each of them an ear splitting headache. It wouldn't cripple them, but they wouldn't be able to talk. They also wouldn't be able to say the old name he went by, when he had been manipulated and controled by Apocolypse. He was turning his life around, and didn't want anyone to think of that.

When the two foes had left the store, and ran out of sight, he started to refocus his powers. He knew that once word got out about the attacks, any damage would be linked to the school, and people might even trace him to his past. He needed to make sure that nothing seemed out of place. He had never done this on a large scale like this, but he was going to use his powers to restore the floor, and all the damaged displays.

The last time he used his powers this way was to fix one of the displays at Godiva's museum. It had been taxing, but he pulled it off without much drain on himself. This time, there was more to fix, and each item he restored drained him more and more.

Soon, the store was back to the way it was before the attack. He felt himself start to collapse, the music playing doing a little bit of restoration on his powers. He was thankful when someone grabbed him. He glanced to his left to see Kevin on his one side, and Amy on his other side. They were both smiling at him, and soon Amy said, "You did it, Davis. I mean Mr. Skinur. I mean Harmonic." He could tell she was excited. She wasn't sure which name to use.

He then felt someone else help him stand up, and noticed it was Monet. "Yes you did. Thank you, for all you did." He glanced at her, and saw something before he was sure he hadn't seen earlier. It was admiration. He wanted to say something then, but she stopped him. "We need to get going. Yvette just contacted us psionically, but I think you might not have noticed. This attack was one of many. Apparently Emplate sent his forces to catch us while he attacked the school. We need to get back, hopefully, before it's too late."

He weakly nodded, and then said to her, "I understand. Maybe you can set up some sort of psionic blind so no one notices us leaving." He saw her nod, and then felt everyone help him out of the store. He then started to hope that everyone else was surviving their fights.

---------------------------  
VII. Thomas  
---------------------------

Thomas Jacobs did a double take when he realized what had happened. At first, he had seen the attackers as they started their attack. Then there was a purple glow, and all the bookshelves had changed. It was as if they were in another part of the store. It was farther from the store exit, but it was also farther from their attackers. They needed the space and time to figure out what to do.

He then chanced a glance around one shelf and saw that both of the attackers were puzzled for a moment. He was glad his luck powers were kicking in, because neither dared to look in his direction, even though he was glancing at them from what would appear plain sight for them. He then looked back at both teachers, and his friend, Anne Smith, and said, "Who are those two?"

He was stunned when Everett Thomas, his one teacher, said, "Two foes of ours from years ago. The big brute with the German accent is Bulwark. His strength is his power, but if you take it away, he's a skinny weakling."

He then heard Clarice Furgeson Thomas say, "The purple one is called Vincentte. He can transform his body into a gas. If he wanted to, he could transform and knock out everyone in the building. However, the more he transforms and spreads his body out, the harder it gets to control and recombine. They are both minions of Emplate, who lives for only one purpose."

For a moment, he heard a gasp of fear come from Anne. He looked at her, and saw that a look of fear had crossed her face for a moment, just before she had collected her wits. He was worried for her, although he knew she would never worry in the same way about him. He knew she was still in love with a guy who had disappeared from their home town. Of course, they also knew he was one of the 'Rippers', but he was sure she thought Jack could be saved from them.

He knew Anne was back to her normal self when she finally said, "We need to come up with a plan while they think we have disappeared. There has to be a way to get past them." He glanced out again when she said that, and noticed a purple mist slowly nearing their spot. He glanced over at another customer who had been closer to the attack than they were at the moment, and saw the mist surround them.

In a moment, he saw the customer collapse, and he realized what was happening. The one known as Vincentte must be knocking out everyone in the store just to catch them. He looked back at everyone and said, "I think they know we are still here. That Vincentte guy is filling the whole store with a purple mist, and knocking out people."

He then heard Clarice say, "I know of a way to take care of Bulwark. The same trick I used on Juggernaut years ago. However, we need to get rid of Vincentte, and I can't think of how to do that now."

All of a sudden, an idea came to him. He looked at Clarice and said, "I think I might have an idea. However, it will require Guildmaster's abilities."

He watched as Everett glanced at Clarice and then back at him. "Alright, Chance, what's the plan, and tell us quick. Blink, I'll synch up with your powers to take care of Bulwark. You seem a bit flushed after the group blink." He then realized that the other teacher did look a bit drained. He then nodded and started to quickly tell the plan that came to him. As he told it, he saw his teachers smile, and nod in approval. Soon, they would put the plan in action.

---------------------------  
VIII. Vincentte  
---------------------------

Vincentte continued spreading his gaseous form throughout the store. He had already found and knocked out a few people in the store. He wasn't sure if it was the targets, but he didn't care. Maybe in the process, he'd catch a few more mutants for them. Ever since the master had left years ago, they had to struggle a bit to get by. Things even got worse when the 'Rippers' had shown up. Not only were they after mutants, they had killed one of his friends, Murmur. It was as if the 'Rippers' had an extreme hatred for his master, but he wasn't sure why.

He put his mind back on the task at hand, capturing the members of Generation X, and their new students. Right now, he was trying to incapacitate them, but the big problem was he didn't know where in the store they were. He had heard them, but he couldn't pinpoint them. He glanced over at Bulwark, and noticed the big brute was trying to topple a bookshelf. He wondered why that was, and then saw the purple bolt fly up from behind it, and then come down on the muscular mutant.

He watched as his ally glowed in a purple light, and then disappeared with a blinking sound. That made him mad. It meant that after he knocked out the group, he would need to get help to get them back to the bosses hideout. He started to disperse his form more, saying while he could, "That was a mistake, Generation X. Now I'll make sure no one can breathe here. I'll will capture you all."

Soon, he felt his form dispersing more. He could sense more of the bookshelves. He could also see more, even though he had no visible eyes. As he let his gaseous form consume the store, he knocked out more and more people. The more he knocked out, the more likely he had knocked out all the people he intended to capture.

It was then he noticed something. It appeared a portal had formed to someplace else. There was no purple haze around it, and it appeared to look like a forest setting. It had to be an illusion. If it was one of Blink's portals, or like hers, the purple haze would be there. This was obviously an illusion. Once he entered into it, it would disappear revealling the bookstore again.

When he started to enter it, he realized something was wrong. He could feel a cool chill, as if he had ventured outside. It really was a portal, and part of him had started to pass through it. He started to pull himself back, but it was too late. He felt the portal close, and when that happened, he quickly pulled himself together. He had never felt pain like this before. He had done many things before that could have caused pain if he solidified in a hurry, but this was different. What had happened, a part of him was transported far away. There was no way he could reclaim that part. What made it worse was the fact that he was holding his head in pain now.

---------------------------  
IX. Everett  
---------------------------

Everett Thomas froze when he started hearing Vincentte scream in pain. He looked over at the mutant, who was lying on the floor, in a fetal position, holding his head. He then heard Anne say, "Did Chance's plan work?"

He glanced back at the kids, and saw that Anne was looking at Vincentte and could tell she seemed concerned about him. He then looked at Thomas, who was helping Clarice. "Yes. I think it did. I'm guessing that the portal you opened sent part of him far away, and by the way he's holding his head, I'm guessing he's missing part of his brain."

He heard Anne gasp, and then he heard Thomas ask, "Should we help him?" Part of him wanted to say yes, but the simple truth was that he didn't know if they could help. There was no way of telling where Anne's portal had opened up to.

He then froze when he suddenly heard a voice in his head say, _"Everyone, we need to get back to the car, and head back to school. I hope you can all get there soon. Emplate is attacking."_ He looked at the others and realized that everyone heard the same thing.

He looked over at Anne as she said, "Do you want me to open a portal to the school? I can get us there as fast as possible."

He considered saying yes, but then he saw Clarice shake her head. "It's a bad idea, Guildmaster. I'm the one who drove us all here, and I'm sure we need the drive to recover from the attacks. The way Yvette had said it, I'm sure none of us managed to avoid attack."

He saw her look crestfallen, and then had an idea. "Why don't you open a portal to the parking lot. It will allow us to get there faster." He saw her smile at that idea, and then watched as she made a portal form. As it formed, he nodded his approval, and they all stepped through.

The first thing he noticed was the cool air, which was a sudden change from the air in the mall. The second thing he noticed was that the others were already coming. He could tell each had been in a battle, and that Yvette didn't have on the same jacket that she wore when they arrived. He looked at his wife, who had been with Yvette, and said, "Jubilation, what happened?"

As they all got in the vehicle, he heard her say, "Aura attacked us. Let's say no more than that." He then saw her look at Monet and Davis. "Who attacked you guys?"

He listened as Monet said, "Freeze Frame and that Britney girl. You remember, the one who turned those girls over to Emplate back when..." He heard her trail off, and realized what she was trying to say. It was back when she was being controlled by her sister, Claudette. She had only head about it when she had returned. It was also the time her father had been killed. He also noticed that she was looking at Davis.

He then heard Davis say, "Anyhow, if it wasn't for the kids, those two would have been successful. They had frozen me, but the kids distracted them long enough to make them screw up. If they hadn't done it when they did, I think Monet would have been seriously injured."

It was then he noticed two things. The first was that Clarice had started the vehicle and was already pulling out of the parking space. The second was that Monet was giving Davis looks of admiration. He wondered if Davis's actions had cause Monet to change her view on him, and even if Monet was starting to have feelings for the former foe.

As the vehicle accelerated, he was both relieved and concerned. He was relieved because everyone who had gone to Lakeside Mall was all right. He was concern for the ones at the school, because the school was still under attack. He then hoped they would get there in time.

---------------------------  
X. Kiana  
---------------------------

Kiana Asahara had made her way up to Tasha Lewis's room, with Grimore at her side. With all that was going on, and the concern that Lord Cale had mentioned worried her. She had been glad when the cat had been in the hallway of Tasha's room, and looked at him. Before she knocked on the door, she thought about what Lord Cale had said. She looked at that cat and said, "Was Lord Cale correct in saying you can talk?"

She was stunned when the cat looked at her and said, "Now is not the time to be concerned about that. I take it that Emplate is about. I thought I had sensed him earlier this week."

She glanced down at the feline as she processed the words. It was amazing that the feline could talk, but she found it more amazing that he knew this monster had been here. "You knew this Emplate was sneaking around. Why didn't you tell anyone earlier?"

When they reached the door, she noticed the cat had stopped, sat, and looked at her. "Emplate is not your average force of evil. He has the powers that his family possessed to fight evil. Since gaining those powers, he has learned how to mask who he is. What makes it harder to detect him is the fact that his scent is close to his sister's scent."

She froze when she heard that. "His sister. You mean his sister is here. Does Lord Cale known about this?"

She watched as Grimore nodded. "Of course he does. Emplate's sister is nothing like him. Monet is a good natured person, who works to find a way to permanently stop him. I know you have met her, and you realize that." She nodded, and realized that the feline was right. Although she hadn't seen Emplate, she knew Monet wasn't a monster. She had even shared some books and information about the supernatural world with her.

Kiana then returned her mind to the task at hand, and knocked on Tasha's door. "Tasha, please be awake. We need to get you down to the secret room." She listened for a moment, and was about to knock on the door again when she heard movement.

When the door finally opened, she was startled when Tasha was there wearing a tightly tied robe. "I don't think I can. I don't feel well at all." She then saw a strange mark on Tasha's shoulder, and stared at it. She realized that Tasha had noticed the stare, and pulled the robe to cover the mark. "Please. I don't know what's been happening, but I noticed that mark other places. I might have the Cale's call for an exterminator. I don't know what's happening."

It was then she heard Grimore speak. "Tasha, I fear you have been victim of Emplate. It is not the first time he's done this. You need to get down to the med-center, but first we need to get you to safety before it's..." She watched as the feline turned his head, and then bolted down the hall.

She looked at Tasha, and said "I'll support you. Just put your arm around me." She was glad when Tasha complied, and she started to follow Grimore." She didn't want to move too fast, but she hoped that she could keep up with Grimore.

It took her a little bit to catch up with Grimore, but when she did, he was staring down a hallway. His back was arched, his fur tuffed up, and his tail stuck straight up. Grimore was poised for attack. She then looked down the hall, and saw the scene the cat saw. A tall man of African decent was standing, and holding Lord Cale against the wall. She could also see a look of pain crossing Lord Cale's face. She then glanced at Tasha, and something about the look on her face told her that Tasha must realize what was happening.

Kiana glanced over, and saw a chair nearby, and placed Tasha in it. "Wait here. I think I know how to help." She then reached into a pocket, which held a couple of parchments, each one with some symbols on them. If this was to work, she hoped her aim was true. She then stood next to Grimore, and took aim.

---------------------------  
XI. Marius  
---------------------------

Marius St. Croix, the mutant menace known as Emplate, was happy. His plan was working like a charm. Using Tasha's power, as well as his magic, he had hidden himself from all, even the magical feline Grimore. Now, he held one of the biggest thorns in his side in his grip. It was a perfect time to gloat. "I bet you are wondering how I pulled it off, Skitz."

He watched as Skitz looked at him and said, "Let me guess, when your minions attacked last week, it was to spy on us." Marius lauged at that, and then started to sup on his captive, enjoying as Skitz screamed in pain.

When he stopped feeding for a moment, he looked right in Skitz's eyes. "No. I doubt you'd believe this, but the 'Rippers' aren't mine. They are no more mine than this is a school like Xavier's. I have found a way to sneak in, and during my spyings, I found out about Yvette's plan to head to the mall. It was a perfect opportunity. I set things up, to have my minions attack the others at the mall. Even if they get away, when they return here, I'll have control of the school."

He could tell his enemy was doing his best to appear strong, even though he was on the wrong end of things. "You forget, Marius, Yvette and I have a mental link. We can let each other know what is happening." He started to sup again on Skitz, and enjoyed the screams of pain that was coming out of his foe.

When he stopped, he just said, "Face it, Skitz, over large distances, you two can only transmit extreme emotions. I know that Penance psi-abilities have gotten better, but you have been too busy to make yours stronger. However, that won't be a problem for much longer."

Marius then tensed up his hand, turning it into a claw like Penance's. He pulled his arm back, still holding his advesary with his other hand. He was ready to do something he had wanted to do ever since he was sent away five years ago. He was going to kill Richard Cale, and reclaim his favorite feast.

He forgot about his plans when a burning sensation hit his arm. He dropped his victim and grasped the arm, seeing the odd papers now sticking on it. He quickly ripped them off, and yelled as each one burned. He then glanced down in the direction they came from, and saw the girl standing there. He could tell she had no mutant powers, but he could sense her mystical power, and could also see Grimore standing next to her. He smiled, and started to head down the hall towards them. He wasn't worried about Skitz now, and this minor annoyance would be easy to take care off.

---------------------------  
XII. Richard  
---------------------------

Lord Richard Cale dared a moment to glance up after Emplate had dropped him. He wasn't sure what had bought him this second chance, but when he saw what was happening, he knew what it was. He saw Grimore and Kiana at the end of the hall, and Emplate was advancing on them. He was also sure that Tasha was also near by. He had told Kiana to get Tasha down to the others, and now the girl was disobeying him.

He was also inwardly grateful for it. The Asian girl's actions were enough to keep Emplate from killing him. He started to get up, but he quickly lost his footing. Emplate's attack had left him drained. It would take him a few days to recover full strength, even with Yvette's healing factor.

It was almost at that moment that he remembered his powers. Emplate had been in close contact with him, which meant he was within the normal five foot radius of his power's range. He glanced at his hand, and saw that he did have Emplate's powes, as well as the tell tale marks on his hands. This also meant he had Emplate's magical powers as well.

He started to get up, using his sword as a crutch, and got to his feet. Marius was still nearing Kiana, and he knew he had only one good shot at this. He quickly raised his free hand, and uttered the one spell Marius was fond of using. Soon, he saw a green orb emmerge from his hand, and fly right at Emplate. He saw Emplate turn, with a surprised look on his face, just as the orb hit him and slammed him into the wall. He noticed a relieved look cross Kiana's face, and then looked at Emplate. "It's over, Emplate. You won't win this time." He was still using the sword as a crutch, but he also started to cast another spell.

He watched as Emplate stood, and started to fade from sight. "So it would seem. Apparently I should have killed you before turning my attention to the Asian whelp. I'll have to make sure that next time you can't recover. However, just because I failed here, doesn't mean my minions have failed." Soon Emplate had disappeared from sight.

He waited for a moment, and then fell forward. The battle had drained him, in more ways than one. He was aware that someone was running towards him. Before he hit the ground, he felt someone struggle to hold him up. "Lord Cale, are you alright?"

He used his sword as a crutch again, and nodded. "In time I will be. That just took alot out of me." He noticed Kiana was staring at his hands, and he knew what she must be thinking. "Don't worry. Those will disappear in time." He glanced down at his hands, and noticed that the mouths that were the signs of Emplate's influence were starting to disappear.

As she helped him, he heard Grimore say, "I should have picked up on him earlier, sir. However, Kiana was able to help. Now, I do believe you and Tasha should be taken to the med-room. I think Forge gave us a better one."

He nodded, and followed Grimore and Kiana to the end of the hall, were Tasha was sitting by a phone. He also noticed that Tasha must have been sleeping when Kiana had gotten her, since the dark-skinned girl was wearing a bathrobe. He watched as Kiana helped Tasha up, and was about to head to the med-room. Richard realized though, that he had one thing left to do. He leaned on the table, and picked up the phone. "Before we go there, I need to make a call."

He watched as the girls paused, and then he dialed for the police. When the officer picked up on the other end, Richard just said, "This is Lord Cale. There is a group of protesters on my front lawn. I want them removed before someone is hurt." He heard the officer say they would send out people in a moment, and then hung up the phone.

He then continued walking to the med-room, and as he walked, he looked at Kiana. "Once we get to the med-room. I want you to go get Darrett and the others. Hopefully, the Knights of Humanity will be gone by the time the others are back from Lakeside Mall." He saw her nod, and then quietly walked to the med room.

---------------------------  
XIII. Henry  
---------------------------

Henry Meier had everything set up for his way to ruin Lord Cale's school, and to make the King renounce the man who had advised him. He was ready, taking action the same way the group in America did. He had his group set up a protest right on the front lawn of the school. He also had the Lewis's, who said their daughter was kidnapped by the Cale's, prepared to take pictures.

However, his orders for the pictures were to be when the mutants in the school come out. Once they start using their powers, they were to take pictures, making the mutants look like the attackers. He then looked at the others and said, "Remember, my people, when the mutants come out, they will attack us. They are evil and will do anything to silence our voice of truth."

He wanted to continue his speech, but stopped when he heard sirens. He looked towards the gate, and was stunned when the police came in. That wasn't what was supposed to happen. The mutants were supposed to come out and attack. He was supposed to prove them as the menace he said they were.

Henry had to think quick. He had to do something to provoke an attack. He quickly turned towards the school, and started to run at the front door. He heard a few others start to run with him, and felt certain that one of the mutant's would come out.

His plan was cut short when he heard sirens again. He froze, and turned around as the police said, "Don't make us fire, because we won't miss. Now you will all leave the premises, or we will be escorting you all to jail."

He knew his plan wouldn't work now. The fact the police had come to escort them off told him that claiming a peaceful demonstation wouldn't work. Even though right now the police were doing the wrong thing, he knew his people respected them. He looked at the others, nodded, and then walked over to the police force. As he neared the officer, he just said, "You know you're betraying our kind."

Henry watched as the cops started escorting everyone out, with the lead cop saying, "I hear that from all the other hate groups. Next time you want to do something like this, keep off private property, or you will be enjoying a stay in the jail."

The leader of the Knights of Humanity nodded, but he was thinking. Next time they would do this, they would be sure to have more people. The police weren't about to jail a small town.

Once everyone was outside of the gates, and heading away from the school, he glanced back just in time to see a vehicle pulling into the gate. As he glanced at it, he saw Lady Cale through one of the windows, and he started to wonder how many people had been in the school when they were there.

---------------------------  
XIV. Darrett  
---------------------------

Darrett Xavier Thomas ran down the castle halls back to the entry hall. When Kiana had come to get him, and told him of the state of both Richard and Tasha, he wanted to make sure both were recovering. He had even gotten Sean and the kids out of the game room, and informed them about Richard's state. He knew both Richard III and Ashley would be upset, but Sean was keeping them calm.

It had been at that time that he heard the police arrive outside. That meant that the cops would be getting the Knights of Humanity off the school grounds. That would be a plus, and he hoped they would be gone before the others returned. Richard hadn't told him about the attack, but he knew that Emplate had done a number on his friend and employer.

When he reached the main hall, he saw Kiana, Prince James, and the two new students staring out the window. He walked over to them, and glanced out on the large front yard of the castle. He saw that all the people were almost out of the gate. He breathed a sigh of relief as he said, "At least that was handled the right way."

He wasn't surprised when all the kids turned to face him, and Samantha Cain said, "What do you mean? How was having the cops escort them off the grounds the right way?"

He looked down at the girl, who had long auburn hair. He could swear that if it wasn't for the hair, she would be like Rose in the current Doctor Who series. "Well, Samantha, those people are like a group in America called the Friends of Humanity. They have been known to antagonize mutants into attacking, and then they make it look like the mutants are attacking them first. It's how they get power." He watched as she nodded.

It looked like she was about to ask another question, when Kiana looked out the window again and said, "The others just pulled in, and something tells me that their mall trip also was eventful."

He quickly glanced over at the window, and saw everyone coming towards the door. Some of them looked drained, and he could swear that Yvette wasn't wearing a jacket she owned. He started to wonder if they had been attacked as well.

Before he could even head towards the door, he saw it open, and saw everyone rush in. The first one was his wife, Clarice. When she glanced in his direction, he could see she was happy to see him, especially when she wrapped her lavander arms around him and said, "I'm so glad you are alright. When Yvette said the school was being attacked, I was worried. You won't believe it, but we were all attacked at the mall."

Soon, she was telling him everything that had happened to her, and some of the others were giving their bits as well. The only one who remained quiet was Yvette, who still had the jacket on, but was staring at the two new students. Soon, everyone got quiet, and noticed how she was acting. Before she could say anything, he decided to break the silence. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you two our two new students. The girl is Samantha Cain, and the one that looks like it's in battle armor is Allen Arron." He watched as everyone stared at the two, and he hoped they weren't all thinking that they had said too much.

---------------------------  
XV. Alex  
---------------------------

Alex watched as everyone stared at them, but she was sure they were mostly staring at Allen. She still felt unnerved looking at him. That was mainly because of the form he had taken, which was of the character Samus Aran. Soon, the redhead who she knew was Lady Yvette Cale said, "Well, I knew one student was arriving. The second is a surprise. Can you both introduce yourselves, and explain your powers briefly?"

Alex decided to go first, since she was sure she would be finding some things out that Graylon might be able to use. "Well, my name is Samantha Cain, and my power is remote hearing. I think it only works on a short range." She watched as everyone looked at one another. She wondered if they were thinking if she could be using that power minutes ago, or even when they were away. She could have, but she wasn't trying to. If she had said anything about what she had heard, it would tip them off that she was spying on them, and had for a long time.

She then watched as Allen stepped forward and said, "My name is Allan Arron. I have the ability to shape shift my body into that of any video game character. I tend to use this form since it protects me from a rare disorder. If I don't use my powers like this, my skin is burned by the light." She watched the group that had arrived, and could see concern on their faces.

She then watched as Lady Cale stepped over to Allan and said, "I think some of us can sympathize with that." She then watched as everyone introduced themselves, and their powers. As each one spoke, she made note of their powers, and names.

When she heard the name, Monet St. Croix, she looked at the African woman. She had remembered hearing years ago that her father, Ambassador Cartier St. Croix, had died in America. The details weren't released, but she knew that Monet ended up with a family friend in Germany. Alex wondered how Lord Cale had gotten her at the school.

She then took notice of the African man, and realized his last name was the same as the Cale's bodyguards. She wondered if the two were related. She could see some similar features, but she wasn't sure if there was a relationship between them.

It was just as the one man, who had been standing next to Monet, and heard that his first name was Davis when all of a sudden, she heard Graylon Walsh say, "Alex, I need to talk with you soon. I think something happened at Lakeside Mall." She realized what he wanted to know. She blinked twice, and hoped no one noticed that she had been using her powers. The only down side to Graylon's timing was that she missed Davis's last name and his powers.

When the explainations were done, she saw Lady Cale smile at her. "Now I'm sure we have rooms set up for each of you. Allen, you will have a room in the boy's wing. Samantha, you'll have a room in the girl's wing. We will talk with you a little later. Right now, some of us need to check on our fellow teacher's and students here. If anyone want's to join me, you can come with me."

Alex watched as the people dispersed, and then she went to a room off of the main hall. She pulled out her cell phone, and quickly dialed Graylon's number. He was her boss, and she knew what he was looking for. Soon, he picked up and said, "Did you hear anything at all?"

She quickly relayed what she had heard. "It appears that some of them were at Lakeside Mall, which included Lady Cale. However, it seems like it was linked to something that happened here."

She eagerly listened as Graylon spoke. "I wish I had more to go on. Two of the stores are in shambles, and the one store worker says that the attacker said Lady Cale was there only to cause problems, and that Lady Cale wasn't there at all. Someone said two people ran out of HMV, but that store wasn't in any disarray. Others say they saw Lady Cale, but some of the Paparazzi I know say they never saw her. No one can verify any of those at the school were here. If something happened here, no one can tell if they are linked to it. Anything else?"

She went to say, when she heard the door of the room open. She turned and saw a cat at the door. It must have pushed opened the door. She glanced at it, and for a moment she thought it was examining her. She wasn't sure why, but there seemed to be some intellegence in the eyes. She then started to tell Graylon about the Knights Of Humanity. As she spoke, she saw the cat turn away and leave the door. She stopped talking and hung up the phone, wondering if the cat had been Allen, and if her cover had been blown.

---------------------------  
XVI. Grimore  
---------------------------

Grimore sat on a chair in the med-center that Forge had set up. He had remained in the room watching over Richard and Tasha. They were both laying down, recovering from the attacks they had suffered. He wasn't sure which one had it worse. His master had engaged in a battle with Marius, while Tasha was his prey as she slept. One of the marks, which had to be the most recent, was on her shoulder, but barely covered by the robe she had been wearing. Richard's scar was obvious, right where it had been last time, in the middle of the forehead.

He turned his head just as the med room door opened. He watched as Yvette, James, and Kiana came into the room. He looked at Yvette, and he realized that something seemed different. As she neared her husband, Grimore just said, "He might not respond, Yvette. His fight with Emplate took a lot out of him."

He watched as Yvette took her husband's hand and sat down next to his bed. "I understand. Where are Sean and the children?"

Grimore noticed that Prince James had gone to Tasha's side, and he could see concern in the young man's eyes. He then glanced at Yvette. "He took them to their rooms just a few seconds ago. Both were upset about it. I take it you met the new students."

He watched as she nodded, and then said, "It was awkward, but I had thought we were only getting one student. As you can guess, things didn't go well at the mall." Grimore nodded, realizing Yvette was still wearing a jacket that he knew wasn't hers. "If I would have known they were waiting in the main hall, I would have told the others not to mention the mall incident. However, I think we managed to make them forget if they heard."

He lept down from the chair and headed for the door. Before he left, he said, "Kiana, you did very well. If it had not been for your intervention, this might have ended up worse." He glanced back, and saw Yvette had been looking right at Kiana, and Kiana blushed. "You did the right thing, and took the risk at the right time."

He then left the room, and made his way to the main hall. As he walked, he heard various students say hello to him. Only the new students were unaware he could talk, and he was sure the students weren't going to say anything. At least not yet. If he were to tell, it would be in his own time.

When he reached the main hall, his feline ears picked up on someone talking. He made his way to a door that was almost closed and looked at it. Being a cat meant not being able to open doors like a human could, but he had his own ways. He walked up to the door, put his front paws on it, and let his weight push the door open. As he looked in, he saw the one new student, and heard her talking on a cell phone. He wasn't sure who she was talking too, but something told him there was something odd about the call. He watched her for a moment, and heard about one of the incidents from the day. He got up and walked away from the door, thinking that something was odd about her. Maybe he would have to tell people not to reveil his secret to her just yet.

As he made his way back up to the Cale's room, he wondered how the events of this Saturday would effect everyone in the castle. Would the students realize there is more to being a mutant than controling their powers? Woud the teachers be able to get by their own personal demons? As he entered the room, he realized that something was about to change, but if it was for the better was yet to be determined.

---------------------------  
Authors Notes  
---------------------------

Well, I know I haven't done this in previous chapters, but I'm going to start doing it now. I thought I'd include a little section to bring some readers up to speed on some things.

The incident about Monet's father takes place in the story Win Some, Lose Some, which is part of the Cale Storyline. This is also where the character Britney becomes one of Emplate's minions. She reappears again in the story Class Dismissed.

In Class Dismissed is where Monet moves to Germany.

Tasha's parents had joined the Knights of Humanity in Chapter 8.

D.O.A. was established as Penance's cousin in Class Dismissed.

Davis Skinur's past is documented in the Cale Storyline.

Also, at the end of the Cale Storyline, Emplate was sent away to another dimension. It took him almost five years to return.

Finally, Tasha Lewis, Graylon Walsh, and Kiana Asahara were initially created by Mike N. He has stories posted on as well.

Chapter End


	16. Overseas Developments

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 16: Overseas Developments

---------------------------  
I. Jonothan  
---------------------------

Jonothan Evans Starsmore stood in the middle of the Danger Room at the Xavier Institute of Higher Learning, also known as the headquarters of the X-Men. Normally, he didn't train on a Sunday, but the events of the past couple of weeks were playing on his mind. One of the signs of this was the way the hole in his chest and face were reforming. Shortly after he joined the X-Men, he had learned to control his ability to refrom his face and chest. Since he learned that ability, he could feel like he did before his power manifested.

As he focused on regaining control of his powers, and refocusing it's distructive powers on the Danger Room simulations of past Generation X and X-Men foes, he thought about everything that had happened in the past two weeks. First of those were the girl, Anne Smith. When Cerebro had confirmed the girl's powers, Professor X had been concerned that she would get in with one of the groups that opposed the X-Men. He and Paige had been asked to persuade her to join the Xavier Institute.

In a way, he found out she was like him. It had taken a few letters from Charles before he came to America. He wasn't surprised when the trend had repeated, and the girl refused to join. What had surprised him was the mention of the Cale Institue. He hadn't been aware that his former teammate had opened a school in England.

He started to wonder, as he continued to fight the robotic mockups, if the new school was part of the reason why Richard kept blocking Professor X's attempts to place a school in England. He figured that a big part of it was linked to the rift that had formed between the two. It had formed five years ago, when Richard discovered that Charles had been concerned about Richard and Yvette being in England, with their powers. He knew Charles was worried about someone like Magneto or Mr. Sinister trying to sway them, and had wanted one of the X-Men to act as bodyguard. Even Charles had admitted it was more worry than a lack of trust.

The big problem was that Richard felt betrayed, and he and Yvette lashed out whenever they felt their privacy had been violated. Shortly after he and Paige had returned from England, Charles almost collapsed when he had been looking in on a strong psychic presense. Shortly afterwords, Jean was on the phone with Richard. She seemed to be the only one who could even communicate with his former schoolmate.

Added to those worries, were the worries that he had gotten after he and Paige stopped in on Gayle. Even though she had tried to turn all of Generation X over to Emplate years ago, she corrected her actions. He had kept in touch with her, and that weekend, he and Paige found out more about the 'Rippers' that were in England. She had told them they were a gang, and a few times, she was sure they had left her threatening messages. She even suggested that the 'Rippers' were a gang of Emplates, but he was sure that wasn't the case. Emplate was long gone.

His thoughts ended when the Danger Room shut down. He turned around, only to see Beast with his tool kit. "Salutations Jonothan. I do hope my unscheduled inspection of the Danger Room isn't interrupting your training. I just noticed on the sensor logs that a strange disturbance had been detected in here almost two weeks ago."

"Not at all, Hank. In fact, I think I should go check on my fiancée." He smiled and then headed out of the Danger Room, with a new thought on his mind. He remember, during a session Paige and he had in the Danger Room, that a sudden gust of air hit them. Something in the air reminded him of Britian. He wondered if there was a chance that the girl they had meant to come to the X-Men had actually done something to connect them with England. Charles had suspected that the girl's powers were linked to teleportation, but he wasn't sure how. He then left the sub-basement, with one destination in mind.

---------------------------  
II. Paige  
---------------------------

Paige Guthrie sat in her room at the Xavier Institute and looked out the window. She had done it many times since the doors to the Xavier School closed. She always wondered how some of her classmates were doing. She always kept in touch with all of them, except for those overseas. The most they ever communicated was with letters. She sat back in the chair she was in, and thought what might be going on in all their lives. Were Richard and Yvette living as British Nobles do? Was Monet working on some research for Gabe?

Thinking of Monet made Paige remember that it had been weeks since she spoke with Jubilation. She had been one of the maids of honor at her friend's wedding, along with Monet. She had even kept in touch with Jubilation twice a month. It had even been a week since the last call. She reached over to the phone in her room, and picked it up. She dialed the number for Everett and Jubilation's place in Chicago, where both worked at Paladin Technologies.

She waited anxiously until someone picked up. "Paladin Technologies switchboard. Who are you trying to reach?"

Paige was stunned by the sudden pick up. She had never reached this unless both were at work. She took a deep breath, and responded. "Ah was just trying to reach Jubilation Thomas. Ah haven't heard from her in a week. My name is Paige Guthrie."

She heard person on the other end type something before finally responding. "I'll make sure Mrs. Thomas gets the message. She's been doing her best to keep up with things since the Thomas's went to England."

Paige was stunned when she heard that. She wasn't sure how to respond to that bit of information. If they were in England, why didn't they let the X-Men know. Unless, it had been a sudden trip.

She hung up the phone the second the door to her room opened. She wasn't surprised to see Jonothan entering the room. He always stopped by when she in the room. However, this time she could tell by the look on his face that something important was on his mind. He closed the door before he finally said, "I think something is going on in England, and it involves a school being run by Richard."

She nodded when he said that. "That might explain why Jubilation and Everett are in England. I just tried to call them, and someone at Paladin said they were in England. Do you think they might be teaching at a school with Richard?"

She saw him nod. "It makes sense, but I think it also involves that group Gayle told us about."

She gasped about that, remembering what Gayle had said. "Didn't she suggest that the group was a bunch of Emplates? If that were true, it would explain a school starting up. But didn't Professor Xavier say that there were no schools in England."

Jonothan nodded, and then said, "Yes, but he also heard that the King had been pressuring Richard into starting a school. Apparently, he had a list of volenteers for it." She remembered when they were in England, and Jonothan had spotted a flyer about it.

She got up out of her chair, and looked at the man she loved. With all these new thoughts, she was sure they needed to find some way of confirming it. "Maybe we should head over to Xavier's office, and talk with him about this. He might know more about it."

As they left the room, she heard Jonothan remark, "It might be linked to the psychic pressense he felt a few days back." She thought back to Xavier's collapse almost two weeks ago. Jean had been quick to talk about it on the phone with someone, but she wasn't sure who Jean had spoken with, but she had figured it was Richard. They then headed down to Charles Xavier's office, trying to find answers to their questions.

---------------------------  
III. Charles  
---------------------------

Charles Xavier sat behind his desk. Events in America had Charles worried. Over the past five years, many things had happened that threatened his dream of mutants and humans living peacefully together. Top of the list was the growth of a group calling itself the Church of Humanity, however it had been stopped before it could do a mass killing on the Xavier Institute's front lawn. Another was an abduction of some mutant students, one of which was part of a radio show. The X-Men had stopped that before the students could be exploited. The most recent, however, was the government trying to pass a law that would make superheroes divulge their identities. That could be detremental to the safety of everyone. The issue had divided Congress, and it was still being talked about.

His thoughts on these issues had stopped, when he sensed the approach of Jonothan and Paige. Two weeks ago, he had sent them to England, to recruit a female mutant who had teleportation like powers. They had returned empty handed, but with news of Lord Richard Cale opening a school. He confirmed that after his attempt to investigate a powerful psi mutant. What he had ended up doing was angering one person he didn't want to anger.

He still found it hard to believe that even after five years, a rift still existed between him and Richard Cale. He was thankful the mutant didn't turn evil, but he hated that the two butted heads. He would have loved Richard asking to head a school of his in England. The fact that Cale had opened his own school just made him worry a bit. He was thinking about that when Jonothan and Paige opened the door to his office. Before they could say anything, he just said, "I take it you are wondering about Richard Cale opening a school in England."

He noticed a stunned look on both their faces, until Paige said, "Yes, we were going to ask about that, but did yah know that Jubilation and Everett are in England as well."

Charles raised an eyebrow at that revelation. "No. I wasn't aware of that. However, it would explain the encounter I had two weeks ago. Apparently I stumbled onto a teaching session with one of his students. If I remember right, when I was investigating a strange psychic presense, I noticed Yvette and Monet with an unknown figure." He watched as a slightly stunned look crossed both Paige and Jonothan's faces. He was proud that the surprised look was the only thing that crossed Jonothan's face. Usually, his powers would disrupt the illusion the mutant codenamed Chamber put up.

It was Paige who broke the momentary silence. "If Richard was opening a school, why wouldn't he have asked us to help?" Charles didn't want to answer that question, because he was sure it was because it was linked to him.

He was thankful when the awkward moment was stalled when his video phone rang. Not many people had that number, and he wondered who would be calling him on it. He activated the phone, and answered. "Yes, Charles speaking." He felt a surprised look cross his face, and motioned Paige and Jonothan to come over.

He was looking at the image of Richard Cale, and apparently the former member of Generation X was laying in a bed in a medical room. _"Hello Charles. I know it's been a long time. I'm guessing you are aware I've opened a school here in England._" He nodded and waited for Richard to continue. _"I'm afraid that my stubborness made me blind to some things, which includes how to run a school like this."_

He couldn't help but admire that Richard Cale could admit the problem, but he wasn't totally wrong. "I must admit I should have shown you more trust. However, I am concerned with what happened to you. You look like you've been in a fight, or worse."

He heard a slight chuckle come Richard, before the lad finally sighed. _"I've had better days. Yvette had taken some of the students, as well as some of our teachers, to one of the malls. While they were there, they were attacked, and the school was attacked."_

Charles heard a sound of concern come from Paige, but it was Jonothan that asked the question. "Who attacked you, Skitz? Was it those 'Ripper' blokes?"

He heard Richard sigh at that. It was as if they were both thinking on the same lines. Besides, he was curious to learn more about this new group, and if Richard had found out anything about them. _"We believe they are linked to the 'Rippers'. In fact, I believe our attacker is their leader. I can't believe he got back here after five years."_

Charles could feel a feeling of apprehension rise in both Jonothan and Paige, as the realization hit him as well. He looked at Richard, and said, "Do you want me to send some X-Men to help? Especially if Emplate truely has returned."

He watched Richard shake his head. _"Right now, I don't want you sending too many people over. There's a certain reporter over here that would have a field day with this. Last thing I want to do is give him anymore to work with. If anything, send Jonothan and Paige. Now I should get some rest. It might take me another day or so to recover. If you want, send them out later in the week. I'll talk with you more later."_ He then watched the screen went blank.

He sat back, and then looked at both Jonothan and Paige. Before they could say anything, he said, "I want you two to start getting ready. On Tuesday night, I'm sending you two out on the X-Jet. I'll let Richard know then, so hopefully, we can get you two there without attracting any attention to you or him." He watched them both nod in agreement, and then leave his office. He then smiled, grateful that the rift between him and Lord Cale was now closed.

---------------------------  
IV. Daria  
---------------------------

Daria escorted the last group of people visiting Godiva's Museum of the Unusual to the exit. It wasn't unusual for her to do it. In the five years since the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters closed it's doors, she had been helping at the museum. It was also a way to get to know the woman who was the daughter of the man who watched after her, the man who had been in charge of Zero Tolerance. There had been rumors that the person had been a powerful Sentinal from the future, but the truth had been known amonst the members of Generation X.

When the last of the people passed through the door, she said, "Thank you all for coming to Godiva's Museum of the Unusual. You are welcome to return at any time." When she closed the door and locked it, she turned to the others, who had assembled in the entry room, and smiled. "Looks like another good day. You've all done very well."

With that statement, she head one of them chuckle. Her silvery hair, which was mearly an extention of her power, and her background from Zero Tolerance, flowed behind her as she looked at the one laughing. She fixed her gaze on the one laughing, and realized it had been one of the recent additions, a girl named Diedra. "What's so funny, Diedra?"

The girl stopped laughing, and finally spoke, almost startled that she had been picked out. "Sorry, you just sounded like one of those British shows." She watched as the girl looked around, and finally said, "Since the place is closed, should we work on setting up the Jersey Devil exhibit?"

Daria nodded, and watched as most of the others left, leaving her alone in the lobby with a man who appeared to be in his late sixties. She turned to face the man. "Carl, your adventures have been a hit. It's hard to believe that someone has had all those different encounters."

She saw a smile cross his face. "It feels good to tell those tales, but when Ms. Cale first contacted me about this job, I thought she had been joking. Besides, what would any one want with a washed up reporter like me." She smiled at his words. Deep down, when Godiva and Kyuukai first told her about the man, she thought they were joking. However, her opinion quickly changed after she heard his stories, and there seemed no end to them.

She glanced over to the starting room of all the exhibits in the museum. "Carl, do you happen to have any stories about the Jersey Devil? It's a big story here, since New Jersey is on the other side of the Deleware." She wasn't sure what she expected the answer would be, but she had a feeling it would be a yes.

Her thoughts were confirmed when he nodded. "Just one, it was literally the first time I had heard of it. It was also one heluva..." She saw Carl start to stare at the entrance of the museum as he continued, but on a different thought. ...lovely woman. Who is she?"

She turn to look out the door, and was a bit surprised to see her former teacher, Emma Frost, standing at the door, looking in. It was her expected arrival that made for the early closing today, as well as the new exhibit. Daria quickly ran over to the door, and opened it. "Emma, it's been years since I last saw you. How are you?" It had been over three years since she last saw Emma, and she was sure there were some things that Emma was unaware of now.

---------------------------  
V. Emma  
---------------------------

Emma Frost gladly walked in the door, and waited until Daria had locked the door before she said anything. It had been almost three years since she last spoke with one of the most unique members of Generation X. The last she has seen the girl, she had been dating another one of her former students, Mondo. "Daria, it is nice to see you again. I hope all is well with you and Mondo."

She noticed a slightly hurt look cross Daria's face. Apparently, something happened between the two. Her thoughts were confirmed when Daria just said, "It ended a few years ago. He told me he had fallen in love with someone else, and left. I was heart broken for a few months. Working here at the museum helped, but it wasn't until recently that I started dating again."

Emma took a quick glance at the older man in the room. She hoped the man in the seer-sucker suit wasn't the man in question. She could tell Daria had thought that was what she thought when the girl quickly said, "No. He works here. Godiva hired him for the museum because of his background."

She nodded at the gentleman, but turned attention back to Daria. "So you've moved on? I take it you have found someone else." She watched as the silver-haired woman nodded. However, something in that nod told Emma that there might be something she was holding back. However, she didn't want to totally pry into Daria's social life. Her main reason for coming to the museum today was business. "We can talk more about this later, but I do want to know what you've been doing since the school closed. Right now, I need to see Godiva."

She wasn't surprised when the door to the first museum room opened. "She's in her office here. She was here all day since the new exhibit arrived." Emma turned to face who was talking. It was Kyuukai Hisui, Godiva's significant other. The Asian-American woman walked over to Emma and smiled. "Hello again, Emma. It's been a while."

Emma nodded. Every meeting she had with Godiva had been at the Paladin Technologies' offices in Easton, and never at the museum. Therefore, she had never had a chance to see Kyuukai since the day of the wedding and the closing of the school. "Indeed, it has been five years." She wasn't sure what to say, since it had been the use of Kyuukai's powers that almost caused Emplate to succeed when he attacked that day.

Before she could say anything, the woman just looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry about that day, Emma. I should have never let my powers be used in that way. I guess the motherly side in me made me get trapped. I never suspected that Britney had been helping Emplate."

Emma just smiled. It wasn't a mean smile, but a compasionate one. "We've all made that mistake. However, we can talk about it later. Right now, let's go talk to Godiva." She watched as Kyuukai nodded and then led the way to where Godiva's office was.

As they walked, Emma looked around the museum. Much had changed since her first visit to the museum years ago. The exhibits had changed, and so many things were different. As they passed through one room, she saw a bunch of people working on setting up a statue of a horrifying beast. One of them seemed to be moving as a blur. "Diedra, slow down. Godiva will be upset if you are careless with that item."

Kyuukai led her to a door in the room, and opened it, leading them to the secret hallways in the museum. "Godiva had managed to get a display set up for the Jersey Devil. One of the items is a replica of the place where the beast was born." Emma felt dumbfounded when she heard that.

As they started towards where the office had to be, she remembered the man in the lobby. "Kyuukai, who was that man talking with Daria in the lobby?"

She heard Kyuukai laugh. "He was a reporter at one time. Seemed most his stories always took a supernatural turn, and Godiva hired him to tell his tales at the museum. He's been a hit, and he even said for the new exhibit, he had a tale to tell." She turned back to Emma and smiled. "Frankly, I like his stories more than his taste in fashion."

As they started up the stairs, she heard a yell. Although she couldn't make it out, it made her worry. She started to pick up her pace, but Kyuukai motioned for her to halt. "Kyuukai, I don't think we should slow down."

Kyuukai motioned up to the top of the steps, and Emma glanced to see a young man dashing up the steps. When he was out of sight, Kyuukai said, "Godiva must have lost something. Her office can be a mess sometimes. Remember that boy from the radio show that ended up missing." She nodded, remembering that she, Paige, and Jono had helped in his rescue. "Well, he and his radio partner are here this week, doing some interviews. As part of the arangement, they are helping out with somethings. His radio partner liked the museum so much, he offered to do a recording for the exhibit we are adding."

Emma smiled, remembering the radio host. During the years since the school closed its doors, Paige and Jonothan had helped in that manner. The show's producer had actually planned to kill the host, and blame mutants, all on an on air broadcast. Now, the man had changed some of his views on mutants. She came out of those thoughts just as they neared Godiva's office.

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VI. Godiva  
---------------------------

Godiva Cale shuffled through all the files on her desk, as well as using her hair to bring files from other spots. Godiva had the mutant ability to use her hair like extra limbs, and her hair had the strength to break even the hardest metals. The file, however, was one relating to a deal she and Emma Frost were working on. One involving a new company that was asking for financial help. As she searched, she heard the door to her office open. She looked up to see the spectacled face of the radio personality 'Recall'. "Did you lose something?"

She glanced at the boy, and nodded. "Yes. A file. I know you two have been hear all week doing interviews, and helping, but can I ask your assistance..." Before she could finish, she saw his eyes glowing.

He had told her than his power was to find anything lost. She had even heard accounts from people who had benefited from his help. Soon, he opened his eyes, and he glanced at a filing cabinet. He pointed to the bottom of it, and said, "It slipped under that cabinet." She used her hair to lift up the cabinet, and there was the file.

She picked it up, and was surprised when she heard Kyuukai say, "Did you find what you were looking for?" She turned and nodded, seeing Kyuukai and Emma enter the office. She also watched 'Recall' slip out behind them. She could tell the boy was on the meek side, except when it came to an arguement. The boy could turn any arguement into his point of view, even if it was meant to insult him.

As Kyuukai left, and closed the door behind her, she faced Emma. "It's nice to see you again, Emma. Sorry we had to meet here, but I'm sure you learned about the new exhibit."

Emma nodded. "Indeed. Now what did you find out?" At times like this, she liked Emma's straight to business attitude. She handed the file to Emma, and watched as Emma looked it over

For the past few weeks, a company was looking to start a branch in Easton. It was asking her company for help. She wasn't stupid, and immediately had some people look into it. What they had found out didn't set well with her. In fact, it reminder her of one of the things Richard had found out before he turned the company over to her. "Looks like this company has been doing some genetic experimentation, and has some shading projects going on. I think we want to avoid this group."

Emma nodded in agreement, and set the file on the desk. "Indeed. I bet you are going to call the authorities on this." Godiva nodded, and Emma had smiled. "Just like your cousin would have done. Have you heard from him lately?"

Godiva smiled. Ever since the events at the closing of the school, Richard never spoke with the X-Men, whom Emma had joined. So, it was obvious she wasn't aware he had opened a school in England. "Actually, I heard from him about two weeks ago. He asked for Davis to come to England. He's started a school there."

She noticed Emma frowned at that. "Why didn't he call me, and when was he going to even notify us? Charles has been trying to get a school in England, and Richard keeps blocking it." Before she continued, Godiva just pointed at her, and put a finger to her nose. Emma stopped speaking at that point. "Ah. Of course, that's the reason. I hope those two can patch things up soon."

Godiva nodded. "I hope so too. Kyuukai and I plan to get married this year, and I don't want them both at each others throats. I plan to invite the X-Men since Charles helped Kyuukai control her powers." She wasn't sure if Emma wanted to remember that day, but she had to mention it.

She saw Emma nod, and could tell she was about to ask something, but Cyn-Jen, who had been Jubilation's friend, opened the door, with a worried look. "Godiva, you need to come down to the lobby quick."

Godiva got up and headed out of the office, followed by Emma. As they walked, she looked at Cyn-Jen. "What happened? Don't tell me someone is already upset by the Jersey Devil exhibit?"

When they left the passageways, Cyn-Jen finally spoke up. "No, nothing like that. Nothing like when we set up the Grail display. What happened is that someone appeared in the middle of the lobby. Carl and Daria had been talking, and she just appeared out of nowhere."

When they reached the lobby, Godiva suddenly stopped. Daria was obviously trying to calm the woman, but it wasn't that which surprised her. The woman looked almost like Yvette Cale, her cousin's wife, except she didn't look like she had similar powers. The woman was babbling, but also appeared to be calming down. Godiva looked over at Carl, who had pulled out a tape recorder. "Carl, what the hell is going on? Who is she?"

Carl shrugged, but spoke. "Well, judging from the accent, I think she's French. I'm not familiar with the language, but she keeps uttering something like 'Gee My appeal is Eloise Lemonique' or something like that."

Godiva's eyes went wide. She knew a bit of French from high school. "That's not what she's saying. She's telling us her name." She looked at Daria and said, "Daria, try to tell her she'll be safe here, and we'll get someone to help her." She looked at Emma and said, "Try to help. I'm going to call Yvette." She watched Emma nod, and then she started back towards her office.

As she ran back, she replayed what she realized the girl was saying in her mind. _My name is Eloise Leveque_. She was the daughter of the man who had helped her cousin find out about the illegal activities going on before he handed the company to her. Yvette had even told her that the man was a French Ambassador, but nothing else about the whole situation. What she did know was that Yvette was the person to call, and that's what she was going to do.

---------------------------  
Authors Notes  
---------------------------

Well, I know I haven't done this in previous chapters, but I'm going to start doing it now. I thought I'd include a little section to bring some readers up to speed on some things.

Jonothan and Paige join the X-Men shortly after the end of the Cale Storyline. Emma Frost joined shortly after that.

Daria is the same Daria that rescued Jubilation during Zero Tolerance, however according to the Cale Storyline, she ended up joining Generation X before the events of Zero Tolerance ever happened. See Truth Be Told and Relatively Dangerous of the Cale Storyline.

Godiva and Kyuukai first show up in Cale Storyline Story: Stranger And Stranger, as well as Godiva's musuem where Daria now works.

Carl is a reference to Kolchak: The Nightstalker, and while he looks similar to him, he isn't the same man. The reference to the Jersey Devil is a reference to the story in the Kolchak: The Night Stalker Chronicles sold by Moonstone.

Diedra is the same Diedra created by Mike N in his Generation X stories.

Eloise is a character created by Rich Palmer. She is related to characters mentioned in The Cale Storyline story Iron X.

Recall, and the reference to his radio show is a reference to the second two Generation X novels, "Crossroads" and "Genogoths"

The other events mentioned in Charles section are various events that have happen in Marvel's Main Timeline. Similar events may have occured in the Cale Storyline-X Knights timeline, but with different outcomes.

Chapter End


	17. Recovery

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 17: Recovery

---------------------------  
I. Tasha  
---------------------------

Tasha Lewis floated through the Astral Plane. For the first time in days, she was able to use her powers. This was due to the fact that she had fallen victim to the mutant vampire known as Emplate. He has been supping on her powers and genetic material for days. Then, he had tried to use them to capture the school. Luckily, his plan failed, but she felt ashamed that he had used her. Now she could resume something she had loved to do since she learned about it.

Usually, when her mind was preparing to wake up her body, she would fly around on the Astral Plane. It was refreshing to do, especially since it also allowed her to hone her abilities. However, this time was a bit different. As she flew through the Astral Plane, she came across a beautiful palace. She flew around it a few times before entering it.

Once she was inside, she realized what the place had to be. It was the Cale Institute, but on a grander scale. Everything looked like it belonged in Buckingham Palace. She started to drift through the place, venturing all over. Something like this was a new experience, and she knew she'd ask Lady Cale about it later.

As she traveled, she heard things coming from various rooms. It was like she could hear the thoughts of the others in the building, but she couldn't pick up on them. The only ones she could pick up on were powerful emotions. She finally froze when she picked up on one emotion coming from five different people. She had entered the dining room, and in the room were five people. Although it was only their images, she could tell who they were, and hoped that they wouldn't sense her.

The first ones she noticed were Kevin Mitchel and Amy Johnson, and how much they cared for each other. Judging by how they were next to each other, Tasha had a feeling they would always be together. The next one she picked up on Anne Smith. Anne seemed to prefer staying to herself, but Tasha could sense she thought a lot about a boy, but one she couldn't recognize, even when a brief image appeared in the air beside Anne. In the corner of the room, she could sense Davis, the one teacher of the school. His mind seemed preoccupied, as if he was daydreaming. By him, she saw the image of him kissing Monet St. Croix, and she quickly realized he had feelings for the teacher.

The last person was the one that truly caught her off guard. It was Prince James, and not only did she pick up on love, she picked up on concern. As she neared his image on the Astral Plane, she picked up on who he cared about. It shocked her, when she saw the image of her in the med-lab, covered up with a sheet, obviously sleeping. However, the most shocking was the love that surrounded him, especially as she saw in the image him approaching her, and kissing her. She never thought someone would care that much for her.

She quickly left the room, and decided to head to the med-lab, with the sole purpose of rejoining the waking world. However, as she moved through the halls of the Cale Institute on the Astral Plane, she had a brief encounter with a mental barrier. It was as if someone was hiding something. She couldn't see the purpose, but a barrier like that could only mean someone was trying to hide something. She wasn't sure who, but she was not about to try and find out. What she was going to do was inform someone when she could.

---------------------------  
II. Richard  
---------------------------

Lord Richard Cale sat up in the med-bed he was in, reading one of the Rama books. He wasn't fully back up to normal, but after all the days rest he had, he would be soon. Everyone had paid both he and Tasha, who was still asleep in the other med-bed, a visit. In fact, it was Anne who left him the book he was reading. He would return it, especially when he saw the autograph inside the cover.

He looked up when he heard movement. At first, he thought it was someone coming to visit. It wasn't that, but Tasha finally stirring. He placed the book down, forgetting about the fake glasses he had on. He only put them on when he was reading, mainly because it felt right. He might not need glasses now, but reading something to relax, it helped to wear them. He finally glanced over at the dark-skinned mutant, and said, "Welcome back to the land of the living, Tasha."

He watched as she slowly sat up, making sure she held the sheet over her. Yvette had made him aware of Tasha practicing a naturalist lifestyle in her dorm room, and that during the time of Emplate's attack, all she wore was a bathrobe. However, he was glad that she was keeping this practice to her room. When she was finally sitting up, he noticed the puzzled look on her face before she finally spoke. "Did something happen to your eyes during the attack?"

He placed the book on the table next to the bed, and then placed the frames on it. "No. I usually wear the frames when I'm reading. A habit that's hard to get out. My eyes are fine. How are you feeling after all that sleep you've had?"

He watched as she moved her head back and forth. "I'm feeling much better. How long was I asleep?"

Richard Cale sighed. "I think since Saturday afternoon, and it's now Tuesday afternoon. Emplate must have really drained you." He watched as she shuddered, which he realized was due to the marks on her body. Yvette had told him where a majority of Emplate's feeding marks were located, and part of him wasn't surprised. He had done it before to his cousin Godiva.

He shook the thoughts of the past out of his mind when Tasha looked at him. He could tell she had some serious questions on her mind. It wasn't surprising when she asked the question. "So who and what is Emplate? You've only told us a little about him. We should know a bit more."

Richard nodded. "Fair enough. Emplate is a very dangerous force of evil. He has the power to learn everything about you on sight. He has vast magical abilities, and worst of all, he has the power to absorb powers, via ingestion or absorbing attacks. He's literally a mutant vampire, and can pass his curse on to others."

He watched as a scared look crossed Tasha's face, as the girl looked at her hands. "He controls who he passes the curse on to. He left you free of it. However, we feel he has a growing army. I hope you've at least heard about the 'Rippers'."

He watched as a stunned look crossed her face. When the look finally passed, she said, "You mean Emplate is behind the Rippers? If that's the case, he could cause a lot of problems. And with some of the people keeping secrets here, that could be a big problem."

Richard was taken back by her choice of words. He glanced at her, with a serious look crossing his face. "What other secrets?" Inwardly, he was worried that the secrets Tasha was talking about were the ones about Davis's past. However, he had to be sure that it wasn't that. He was sure none of the students knew about Davis's time as a criminal.

He was stunned when Tasha finally answered the question. "I'm not sure, but something in me thinks that whatever it is, it isn't good for the school. I didn't try to find out what it was."

He was glad she had shown some restraint in her powers. Even on their first day, he had stressed not to use their powers on each other. Of course, with Tasha's powers, peering into another's mind would be very tempting. However, given her concern, he had to do something. He closed his eyes for a moment, and finally spoke. "Tasha, I'm going to give you a special assignment, one that will test your powers. I want you to do an empathic search. Someone hiding something that would be detrimental to the school will no doubt have some malice in them. However, be careful while doing this."

He opened his eyes the moment she asked the key question. "Why? Are empathic searches dangerous?"

He sighed as he answered. "In a way. When you deal with anything on an empathic nature, you can become influenced by others emotions. It can also lead to acting on those emotions. It could take time to find out who might mean the school harm." He saw a relieved look on her face. Apparently, his words had relaxed her. He turned to face the door to the med-room open, and saw Sean Cassidy, his children Richard III and Ashley, and Grimore enter the room. The sight of all of them made him feel better about everything.

---------------------------  
III. Richard III  
---------------------------

Richard Cale III quickly ran over to his father. He was glad his father was awake during this visit. The past visits he had come in on, both his father and the girl named Tasha were asleep. This was the first time they were both awake when he was here. He was glad about that, since they were both attacked by the same monster that threatened him. When he was finally at his father's side, he asked the only question on his mind. "Dad, is the monster gone now?"

He was happy when his father nodded. "Yes, son, the monster is gone." He almost leapt for joy, but something in his father's words told him there was more. Sure enough, his father continued. "He's gone for now. However, we need to be alert in case he tries to return."

He nodded, and felt scared. He could also see a scared look on his little sister's face. He realized he needed to be brave now. The other times the monster showed up, Ashley had never seen him, or what it could do. This time, she knew. He had known that the monster had attacked his father weeks ago, but now the monster had attacked someone else. It seemed more dangerous now, than it had before.

Before he could say anything else, Richard III heard his grandfather say, "Lad, do ye have any idea on how he had gotten in?" He could tell his grandfather was talking about the monster, but he wondered how he was sure the monster was a he?

He felt a little scared when his father shrugged. "I don't really know. It's very possible he had help, possibly from D." Just from how his father said the letter, Richard III knew it was bad.

However, he started to focus on happy things. He looked at Ashley, and he saw her smile as she said, "Daddy, Mummy says we have a few people to tell about the school. There's one girl who seems like she's always listening for something, and a guy who can change into video game characters. He did it once, and he was a Goomba." It made him feel better when he heard his father laugh. He missed hearing his father laugh.

When his father's laughter subsided, he saw their pet cat, Grimore jump up on to the bed. For as long as he could remember, he knew the cat was different. Not many cats spoke, but Grimore did. However, the past few days, Grimore didn't speak much, and no one had told the new students about Grimore yet. However, he was glad when the feline spoke. "Sir, I needed to tell you about some concerns."

Richard III could tell his father already had an idea about what Grimore was talking about. He then looked as his father. "Dad. Are you going to introduce everyone, and tell about Grimore at dinner tonight?"

He watched as his father thought about it, and finally answered. "Introductions yes, however I think we may want to hold off about Grimore. After all that happened, the new students might not be ready for Grimore's secret just yet. Now, I want you all to run and play. But be ready for dinner at six. I'm sure your grandfather would love to play a game with you."

Richard III looked up at his grandfather, and saw the smile on his face. It was another thing that told him things were better now. He ran out of the room, with his sister and grandfather, and headed off towards the front yard. In the process, he passed Prince James, who like him, had visited Tasha and his father everyday. He wondered how the Prince would react now that everyone was awake. He put the thought out of his mind for now, since all he wanted to do know was play.

---------------------------  
IV. Jubilation  
---------------------------

Jubilation Thomas sat behind the desk in Richard Cale's office. Part of her duties since the attack had been damage control. It wasn't something she wasn't used to. Thanks to her time at the Chicago branch of Paladin Technologies, and with the X-Men, she had learned a few things about the process. Of course, her main task was making sure the stores that got damaged at Lakeside Mall got reparations, and that they remained anonymous.

During this process, Jubilation had learned a lot about Richard's family, which included the vast wealth of the family. Of course, Yvette had helped her with some of it, but it still surprised her. It was from one of the accounts that the Cale family had for many years that she made sure the reparations had come from. She had finally figured out the expected cost to pay for the damages when the phone rang. She reached over to the phone, and almost out of instinct, answered it, "Paladin Technologies, Jubilation Thomas speaking."

_"Paladin Technologies? I thought this was the Cale Institute."_ The voice on the other end made Jubilation gasp in surprise. It was the voice of Graylon Walsh, the reporter that had been a pain in the side to the school, and to the Cale's.

It took her a moment to realize she made a mistake by answering out of instinct. Richard still owned the company, but left all duties related to it to Godiva. She quickly composed herself, trying to remain calm about it. "Pardon, I'm visiting his Lordship, and he asked me to help for a moment. Is there any way I can help you?" She had been careful not to say much else. If she mentioned his name, it would make things worse.

_"If you are visiting, maybe you can enlighten me about what happened at Lakeview Mall?"_ Jubilation realized the question would come, but maybe she could spin things in the opposite direction.

Quickly, an answer came to her. "You'll have to forgive me, but I'm not too familiar with England. My husband and I are from the United States. Is it like the malls over there?"

She listened for a moment at the stunned silence on the other end of the line. She was wondering if Walsh was trying to form a response to her question, or if he was deciding to think it was a bunch of lies. Of course, part of it wasn't a lie. Since their arrival at the school, they had been on the grounds almost all the time.

It wasn't long until Graylon finally responded. _"You mean to say you don't know where Lakeview Mall is? I find that hard to believe. Are you claiming to be unaware of what happened there over the weekend?"_

Jubilation knew she needed to think quick. Graylon had already made a report about it, and she and Yvette had managed to calm all the parents down, assuring them that their children weren't at Lakeside Mall. In fact, before they had left, Everett had synched up with Davis, and tried to repair the damage caused in the bookstore. "I'm afraid I don't know what happened there. I still want to know where the place is."

She heard a frustrated sound come over the phone. _"Well, if you weren't at Lakeside Mall, then might you know about the protest that was held on the ground?"_ Jubilation froze when he asked that. She didn't think that he might ask about the protest, and she didn't know what had happened with that. It was even possible that Walsh didn't know about what happened inside the school.

Before she could formulate her answer, Walsh spoke up again. _"Or was that protest just an inconvenience due to something else happening?"_ She didn't know how to respond to that, but it did tell her that the school still had a problem. Walsh was aware that things had happened.

It was no use playing dumb now, but she was not about to let him know anything. She stood up, and calmly said, "I don't know what you might be hinting at, Mr. Walsh, but nothing happened here."

She stood up, and went to hang up the phone. Just before she did, she heard Walsh shout, _"How did..."_ He was cut off by the satisfying click of hanging the phone up. She then headed to the door, wondering how Graylon Walsh knew about the attack on the school, or if he was just guessing. However, just as she was about to leave the office, she opened the door to find a very startled Davis Skinur.

---------------------------  
V. Davis  
---------------------------

Davis Skinur froze as he was about to knock on the office door. The tall blonde mutant was stunned when Jubilation Thomas opened the door, and the look that crossed her face told him she was upset. He lowered his arm, and put the most apologetic look on his face he could muster. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. If it's a bad time, I could talk to you later."

He watched as she relaxed and then motioned him inside. "It is a bad time, but I wanted to talk to you. Come in." He was thankful that she was letting him in, and was also glad she had calmed down. Ever since his incarceration ended, Davis had changed, especially since he was free of Apocalypse's influence. After spending time helping Godiva with her museum, he had learned many things. One of the most important things was that anger never heightened the beauty of a person.

After she closed the door, he watched as she turned on the music in the room. Since it was Richard's office, he realized the music playing was something New Age. Once the music was playing for a few seconds, he heard Jubilation say, "Make sure no can hear us except for us right now."

He focused on his powers, and worked to acknowledge the strange request. Soon, with the music playing in the background, he set up a field to absorb their voices. When it was finally in place, he looked at Jubilation. "Ok, what's going on?"

He watched as she looked over at the phone, and then back at him. "I just answered a phone call from Graylon Walsh, that reporter that had been focusing on Rich, Yvette, and the school. Apparently, he found out about the attack on Saturday."

Davis shook his head in disbelief. "How could he? There were no bugs here. And, before we left the mall lot, Everett and I tried to make the stores we were in back to normal." He then thought about the idea of a bug, and he used his powers to scan for bugging equipment. Again, nothing turned up. He looked at Jubilation again. "I just checked for bugs, and nothing. I hate to even suggest this, but is it possible there is a spy in the school?"

He watched as Jubilation thought it over. "I had thought about that, but this problem has been before the school. Yvette wrote me once that Walsh was finding out things that weren't even planned yet. Just ideas that were being discussed. Maybe Walsh has another way of finding out."

A few thoughts crossed his mind at that moment, and all of them were bad. If Walsh had been a villain, they would have known how to handle him, and what to expect. However, Walsh was a reporter, and must have had access to many resources, which would include past stories about Soundwave. Davis shook his head at that thought, and sighed. "Maybe I should leave the school. It would minimize the potential problems, even in the possibility that there is a spy here."

He wasn't surprised when Jubilation shook her head. "Listen, Davis, with everything that happened in the past, and how turned your act around, I'm sure Rich won't hear of it. Besides, he's the one who got your name cleared. That was in the papers too. Besides, if he didn't think you could help here, he wouldn't have called you here."

Davis nodded, and turned to leave the room. "You're right, Jubilation. I'm glad you all have faith in me." He left the room, and then sighed. He knew for a fact that not everyone trusted him here. In actuality, one person didn't have faith in him, and it was the one person he had feelings for. He just hoped that after the whole mall incident, Monet St. Croix could see he wasn't a bad guy anymore.

---------------------------  
VI. Yvette  
---------------------------

Lady Yvette Cale sat in the bedroom, near the desk. Grimore was perched on the bed, which was his custom during the day. The feline familiar had come into the room after his visit with her husband. She hadn't gone down today due to the classes, but she had come back to the bedroom to dress nice for dinner. With everyone now feeling better, a nice dinner was planned for tonight. She had just put on a casual, yet nice outfit, when Grimore's ears appeared to perk up. She looked over at the cat, but remained calm. She had seen this action before, and knew it only meant something was about to happen, but it was not a bad thing. "Grimore, what's happening?"

She wasn't surprised when the cat just yawned. "I believe a call you are expecting is about to come in." Just as the cat finished his statement, she heard the one phone on the desk ring. It was a private line, which had been installed shortly after they arrived in England, and was reserved for calls from important people, like the King.

Yvette was sure she knew who would be calling. She picked up the receiver on the phone, and calmly spoke. "Cale Residence, Lady Cale speaking."

_"Bonsoir Lady Cale. I had heard you needed to speak with me."_ Yvette had recognized the voice the second he spoke. It was Ambassador Leveque, who they had first encountered over five years ago in Japan.

Since their first encounter, when he had been duped into believing her husband to be a threat, they had formed a friendship, which turned the man's focuses around. He was difficult to get a hold of from time to time, but his mutant charisma always calmed people, even if they only heard his voice. Yvette, however was already at ease when she spoke. "Bonsoir Ambassador Leveque. I'm glad you called back. I have news for you. Over the weekend, I received news of a visitor at Godiva's museum in the states. It appears she may be your daughter."

There was a moment of silence on the phone. She wasn't sure what was going through the Ambassador's mind, and she didn't want to tap into it. She knew he was immune to most forms of psychic scans, and that hers was one of the few able to get through; however, she wasn't going to pry now.

Finally, the silence was broken. _"Eloise is there? Is it really her?"_ Yvette could tell in his voice that there was hope that she was right. She wondered how long that hope had remained over the years he had been around.

"Yes. Godiva had mentioned that she said her name, in French. She had appeared out of thin air. She was also surprise at how she has a likeness to me." Yvette had wondered if that was too much information, or merely a fact that he was already aware of.

She heard a slight chuckle on the other end of the line. _"Oui. In fact, when I first saw you, Yvette, I had thought you were my daughter. However, I realized then it wasn't the case. However, I don't doubt that it is her. In the time I have known you and your husband, I never told either of you about her, and that's how I know you are telling the truth. She had disappeared many years ago, and I thought she was dead. If I remember right, it was one Nathaniel Essex that was pursuing her."_

Yvette gasped when she heard the name. It was one of the villains that the X-Men had encountered, and Sean and Emma had made sure they all knew about them. Nathaniel Essex was known to the X-Men as Mr. Sinister, and he seemed to study the genetics of mutants. She had even heard rumors that the man had even conducted experiments involving cross-breeding mutants. She was glad that Generation X had never crossed his path.

She quickly returned her mind to the phone call. "If you would like, Jean, I can get your daughter here to the school my husband and I run. We will keep her safe, and you can pick her up here, when you can." She knew that the school wasn't entirely safe, but it was someplace safer than a museum. She didn't doubt that Godiva had given Eloise a room in the living quarters that were hidden in the museum, but she knew they weren't completely safe.

The answer she received was almost what she figured it would be. _"Oui. I have been kept busy as of late. I'm sure you are aware that my Ambassador duties, as well as undoing some of my misguided efforts, have kept me busy. There are also a few individuals who show up who still believe I'm evil."_ Yvette knew exactly who he was referring to, but said nothing. She didn't know if he was aware that Richard had allowed them a place to stay at any of the company apartments as repayment for helping them in Japan. _"I will notify you when I am in England. I trust you have means to get Eloise there discretely."_

Yvette thought for a moment, and then remembered what Clarice had told her. "Yes, I do. In fact, one of our students will be able to help in that. Until later, Ambassador." She hung up the phone and looked over at Grimore. She could tell the cat appeared a bit apprehensive about the phone conversation.

She walked over to Grimore and petted him. "Something unnerving you about the whole situation, Grimore?" She heard him purr for a moment as she petted him. She was sure that was more of his feline nature than his mystical nature.

After a moment, he spoke. "Just the fact that you want to involve one of the students. I suggest you pick one who has been here for a while." She didn't fully understand Grimore's statement, but she had already picked out the student who would help her. She stopped petting him, and used her powers to summon the one student who would help her best.

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VII. Anne  
---------------------------

Anne Smith had been sitting in the girl's lounge when she received a psychic summons. It has been quiet, since all the other girls were busy. Tasha hadn't gotten out of the med area yet. Amy Johnson was most likely with Kevin Mitchell. Kiana Asahara was usually studying in the Cale secret library. She would have spoken with Samantha Cain, but the girl had disappeared, claiming to have a phone call to make. Of course, now that she had been summoned, it didn't matter who was where.

She quickly made her way through the halls, and to the room that was Lord and Lady Cale's room. When she finally reached the room, she saw the door open, and watched as Grimore walked out of the room. As the feline passed her, she heard Yvette speak in her mind. _"Come in, close the door, and sit down."_

Anne did as she was instructed, quickly entering the room, and closing the door. She then saw that one chair was moved to be facing Yvette, and sat down in it. After she sat down, she saw what she thought was a flash of light, and in moments she was standing again. She was also standing across from Lady Cale, and they were both dressed as they were, except Lady Cale's outfit seemed a little more fancy.

She also noticed that the room had changed entirely. Before she could ask, Lady Cale spoke. "We are on the astral plane. I have recreated a room that is in Godiva Cale's museum in America. This has something to do with the reason I summoned you here."

Anne looked around the room, noting all the statues of creatures. She turned to face Yvette again. "Why did you summon me here? Does it have something to do with my powers and Lord Cale's cousin's place?"

She wasn't surprised when Yvette nodded. "It has a lot to do with it. Many years ago, Lord Cale and I had made an acquaintance with a French Ambassador. Over the years, we have kept in touch, but that first meeting was not the best."

For a moment, Anne forgot who she was talking to. "Does this have anything to do with Iron Chef?" She quickly covered her mouth when she realized what she said. She had always wondered about that, and something made her think about it right then and there. She also realized she said the wrong thing when Yvette just stared at her.

She was nervous now, especially when Yvette said, "I take it you found out about the bootleg tapes out there. We were made aware that some tapes of what had happened had been sold." She relaxed when Yvette sighed. "Yes, it does relate to that. You see, at that taping was the French Ambassador, and at the time, he was doing some things that were not the right thing to do. In fact, he had been asked by someone to try and kill Lord Cale. As things played out, the truth about what had happened was discovered, and we became friends."

Anne nodded in understanding, however she was puzzled about why the museum was where they appeared to be. "How does the museum play into all this?"

Yvette smiled at her. Anne figured it was the kind of smile that The Doctor gave his companion whenever a clever explanation was forthcoming. "Very simple. Over the weekend, Godiva Cale contacted me, telling me about a woman who arrived at the museum. She is the daughter of that Ambassador. I spoke with him just a few moments ago, and he wants her brought here, discretely."

Instantly, Anne put two and two together. "And you are showing me this room in the museum because you want me to transport us there and back." She watched as Yvette nodded. All of a sudden, she was scared. It was an aspect of her power that scared her. "Lady Cale, I don't know if I should. It's one thing to open a 'step', but it's another thing to pass through. It can be draining to me if the step is from one city to another. But for the step to be between two continents, I don't know if I'll be able to use my power for hours."

She watched as Yvette nodded, and the image of the museum room disappeared from around them. In a brief flash, she realized she was sitting in the Cale's room, opposite Yvette. She watched as Yvette stood and put her hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, Anne, we aren't heading into a battle. We won't be walking into the arms of a villain. What we will be doing is going to my husband's cousin, and rescuing a lost girl."

She looked right at Yvette, and in that moment, she saw Yvette's face, framed by her long red hair. In that moment, Anne saw Yvette as a concerned parent, which she was well aware she was. She stood up, still with Yvette's hand on her shoulder. "I'll help. When do we leave?"

She walked with Yvette towards the door. "We will have to leave late at night, since we should arrive after closing at the museum. After dinner, I want you to get some rest. Is that understood?" Anne nodded, and Yvette smiled. They then continued towards the dining hall. As they walked, Anne couldn't help but wonder what other surprises were about to arise for the school, besides this new person that she had just agreed to help.

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VIII. Quinn  
---------------------------

Quinn Taylor walked through the current hideout of Claudette St. Croix. They had moved from hideout to hideout for the past five years, and this one had been the most stable. That was a good thing considering where she was heading in the hideout. The room she was heading to was a combination lab and prison. Over five years ago, her boss, Claudette St. Croix, teamed up with Apocalypse. During the team-up, plans went wrong, and a formula intended to be used on Claudette's sister and Yvette Cale ended up being used on Claudette. As punishment for this, Claudette insisted on bringing Dark Beast with them, so he could develop the cure.

As she entered the room, she saw him toiling over a set of beakers. Upon first sight, he looked exactly like Beast from the X-Men. He even sounded like him, but those were the only similarities. In Dark Beast's mind were many ideas that the real one would never think of. In fact, the formula that had been used on Claudette was the creation of the Dark Beast. In fact, the only thing keeping him there was a mental suggestion that Claudette had placed before her powers initially failed. Now, all that kept her boss's powers going was the outfit she wore.

When Quinn was near Dark Beast, she looked at him with disapproval. "Is the cure finally ready?" She felt a slight satisfaction when Dark Beast jumped. He had been so absorbed in his current task, that he had not heard her enter. That was fine by her, since she knew that the cure was the most important task.

She watched as he finally turned to look at her. In what she could see of his eyes, she could tell he was already plotting some fate for her, and the others of Claudette's group. She didn't care, since all they were were thoughts. Finally, the evil scientist spoke. "Yes. It's ready. I'm sure it will work, the test subject obviously shows the cure works, however, it was distributed too late." He then motioned to a corner of the room.

Quinn walked a little to see the corner. On the floor was a grate, which emptied into a container underneath the room. What was lying on the grate was a face down mutant. She could tell the mutant had pink hair, and most likely been female. However, now they were dead, and portions of the grate still had what looked like blood on it. As she looked on, she heard Dark Beast say, "She had been a very powerful mutant, more powerful than I had expected. If I had known how powerful she was, I would have given her the formula a little later than I had. You must thank that summoner again for bringing her to us."

Quinn turn and headed towards the door. As she approached Dark Beast, she stopped. "Grab the cure, and head to Claudette's room." She watched as he picked up a syringe with a blue liquid in it, and watched as he left the room. She smirked when she thought of how much time that Dark Beast had devoted to perfecting that formula. Of course, over the years, several mutants had died in the search for the cure, and that was part of the reason they had moved so often.

When she was sure Dark Beast was out of ear shot of the room, she picked up another syringe filled with a green liquid. She had seen it used on all the victims. She took a great deal of satisfaction in seeing it used on male captives, and each time hoped he wouldn't find the cure. However, now that a cure was found, and all that was left was the two syringes, she had orders to make sure they could never be used again. That meant using the last of it, and Quinn knew who the last was to be used on, especially as she left the room, and headed for Claudette's room, stopping only to get Henry.

---------------------------  
IX. Dark Beast  
---------------------------

Dark Beast walked down to the room that was Claudette's. In all the lairs that his captor had over the past five years, this was the biggest. Of course, his being confined to his lab was one thing he both loathed and loved. He had longed for this day to arrive. He knew that Claudette had planted a suggestion in his head, but part of the reason it took so long was that he started other side projects; one for each one of Claudette's little group. None of them were complete, but that was part of his plan. Once the cure worked, he would be dismissed, but instead of leaving, he would return to the lab, and finish them.

As he neared Claudette's room, he stopped thinking of the devices, and how they would make Claudette and her group submit to calling him master. It was always wise to put such thoughts out of one's head when around telepaths. He entered the room, seeing that almost every member of Claudette's group were there, with the exception of the deaf/mute Golden, and the young mutant, Henry. As he stepped forward, he bowed slightly. "I bring you the cure, Claudette."

He watched as she smiled, and motioned to the teenage demon summoner. "Arisa, bring the cure to me, as I prepare for it." He watched as the Asian teenager walked over and took the syringe, and as African born leader removed the special outfit she wore. Dark Beast knew that outfit was the only thing that allowed her to maintain her powers as the formula did it's insidious task. What he never told her that the outfit was only a temporary solution. If he had delayed a few more months, the suit wouldn't be able to keep up with the formula's effects.

He remained calm as the Asian walked over to Claudette, noting how fast the formula effects were now. He calculated that if this did not work, by the time it could be determined, she wouldn't be able to get her suit on again. It would mean his death, but he would have at least had revenge on his captor. He then watched as the Asian injected Claudette with the cure. After it was injected, he watched as the girl stepped back, a bit nervous.

He paid attention to Claudette's face, watching the look of pain that was crossing it as the formula did its task. Soon, the look of pain started to lessen, and become replaced by a look of relief. He also watched as her form started to revert to what it was before the injection years ago. Soon, a smile was crossing her face, as she started to float in the air. Her powers were obviously restored. He wasn't surprised when she faced him. "You've finally done well, Dark Beast. To that, I give you a special reward. Quinn, give him his reward."

He smirked when he heard that. Quinn Taylor, known to them as Q. T., had been a thorn in his side. Always checking up on him, lording over him how the mighty had fallen. He would feel satisfaction at her giving him his reward. He turned to try and face her, figuring she was behind him, but stopped when he felt a pain in his shoulder. He spun around, only to see her step back, standing next to Henry, and holding an empty syringe in her hands. "What did you just do," he half asked, half growled.

He saw a malicious smile cross Quinn's face. "I've given you the first part of your reward." He then realized which syringe it was. It had been the one with the last of his formula, the same one that had been used on Claudette. Horror struck him as it started coursing through his body, undoing the effects of his mutant powers, and channeling them elsewhere. He turned to face Claudette, and saw the same malevolent grin on her face. He then realized that all this time, he wouldn't ever get revenge, and that from what happened over five years prior, was a death sentence.

---------------------------  
X. Claudette  
---------------------------

Claudette St. Croix watched with delight as the realization of his fate crossed Dark Beast's face. She floated towards him, and wickedly smiled. "Did you honestly think I would let you go, knowing you might plot revenge against me, and possibly recreate that wretched formula. I bet it's painful right now, feeling all your powers being redirected elsewhere. Quinn told me of what your formula did to men."

She smiled more as Quinn laughed. "It's a shame I had to use the last of it on you. After you blabbed about who you had used this formula on in your timeline, I thought about using it on them here." Claudette could detect that Quinn had been torn about that part, but it had been agreed far in advance.

Claudette smirked as Dark Beast's body started to revert to something more human. She then hovered closer to him, being almost face to face with him. "You do realize that unless your powers are re-injected into you, you're as human as the rest of the humans in the world."

She floated back just as Dark Beast when to lunge at her. "I can build something before too long. I still have the plans for your suit. I just have to make a few modifications." She then watched as Henry morphed into his brutish form and held down Dark Beast.

Claudette laughed at his struggles, and smirked again. "I don't doubt you could, however your reward isn't complete. You do deserve a kiss for good luck. Quinn, if you would do the honors."

Another look of horror crossed Dark Beast's face. He realized what a kiss now meant from Quinn. She knew this was the only thing Quinn liked about men. She watched as Quinn positioned herself to be face to face with the struggling Dark Beast, or what was left of him, and proceeded to kiss him. She could mentally tell Quinn was enjoying the effects her deadly kiss was having on the former mad scientist.

Soon the figure stopped moving, and Quinn got up. "He's gone, and so are his formulas. What shall we do now, boss?"

Claudette floated down, and stood on the ground next to Quinn. "Very simple, we start planning a strike on the school that Lord Cale now has. Maybe a demon distraction will allow us to get in and humiliate the school. By the way, good job at having Henry with you for this."

She watched as Quinn smiled. "Not a problem, he's good at following orders, given his gender. Shall I get Golden to help in the planning?"

Claudette shook her head. "No, I'll send him to you in a bit. He's been waiting for this day for over five years." She then walked out of the room, knowing how Quinn thought about men, and walked to where Golden's room was.

As she walked, she used her newly regained powers and reached out to her brother. _"Marius, it's your little sister telling you I have my powers back. I do hope all is well with you."_

She wasn't surprised to hear a response back. _"They are not the best, since some of my minions were defeated trying to capture Cale and his group. This is only a temporary setback. I plan not to fail again."_

She smiled at hearing that. She loved the power her brother had, and would love to rule the world by his side. Just the thought of it excited her, which was good given where she was heading. _"I'm sorry to hear of your defeat, brother, however I plan to weaken the Cale's severely in the future. Maybe you can come in and finish what you started."_

As she reached the door to Golden's room, she heard Marius remark. _"I'm sure you would love that, however, I don't want you trying to merge us again, or I will kill you."_ She laughed at that, knowing she wouldn't attempt that again, unless she could remain in power.

_"Don't worry. I won't. When I have a plan together, I will let you know. For now, I'm rewarding one of my followers."_ She then opened the door to see Golden watching a video. It was one of his guilty vices, a certain anime series. As he looked at her, she saw his eyes go wide. _"As you can see, the cure worked, and now it time for your reward for being so faithful."_ She had longed for this for many years. She closed the door to the room, knowing it would be a while until they left it.

---------------------------  
Authors Notes  
---------------------------

To those of you who have been following X-Knights, I still have more planned. This chapter was back in England, but I plan to give you some little notes to help tie things together.

First off, the two new students, one being Samantha Cain, showed up in the three chapter arc consiting of Chapter 13-15.

Davis Skinur, if you haven't figured out yet, originally started as a villian in The Cale Storyline, showing up in Catch a Sound Wave of the Cale Storyline. By the events of Destiny of the Cale Storyline, he literally came to his senses. He joins X-Knights in Chapter 3.

The events of Iron Chef, and the first encounter with Ambassador Leveque is covered in the story Iron X, the fourteenth story of the Cale Storyline.

The events in which leads to the situation at the end of this chapter are covered in the story Destiny of the Cale Storyline.

The dead body mentioned in the last part of this chapter could be Gaia from Generation X, however it is possible that it isn't.

Eloise and the Ambassador are characters created by Rich Palmer.

Tasha, Kiana, Graylon, Arisa are all characters created by Mike N.

Chapter End


	18. Sinister Things Afoot

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 18: Sinister Things Afoot

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I. Yvette  
---------------------------

Lady Yvette Cassidy Cale knew she was dreaming. She had laid down in bed with her husband, Lord Richard Cale, and fell asleep, and was suddenly in Godiva's museum. She wasn't sure which room of the museum she was in, but it had to be the museum with all the exhibits. Each exhibit, which had what looked like a gold plaque in front of it, seemed bizarre enough for Godiva's museum, but there was no central theme to this room.

She started to turn, and collided with someone. Her main powers weren't active, so she knew she didn't harm them. However, when she saw the person, she froze. It was Phil Urich, one of the many people who had been the Green Goblin. Anyone who had wore that mantle, ended up making a name for themselves, usually by falling to the madness. He hadn't fallen to the madness, yet.

However, as they stood there, she saw something in his eyes. Not the signs of madness, but the signs of knowledge. After all her years, especially with Generation X, she knew some things, and one was of alternate timelines and realities. What she saw in that brief moment, was that somehow, somewhere, in some other timeline, they had met, and cared about each other.

She finally turned when she heard laughter. The laughter sent a chill through her, as if whomever was laughing meant her harm. When she finally looked in the direction of the laughter, she gasped, and started to back away. She was looking at the white face of Mr. Sinister. She had learned about the mutant geneticist while at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, but was glad she never ran across him.

As she backed away, he slowly advanced, smiling with a mouth full of sharp teeth. She also noticed the look in his eyes. It told her that she had gained his interest, as if he wanted to see if all her powers could be passed on. She tried to activate her powers, to fight him off, but couldn't. She finally stopped when she backed into a wall, and his smile got wider, like a shark about to strike. She closed her eyes and screamed.

When she opened them, she looked up at the ceiling in her bedroom. The nightmare was over, and she was laying in bed with her husband. She felt better, knowing it was all a dream, but was still a little scared. Her husband, Richard Cale, had his arm around her, and it helped her feel better. She glanced over at where Grimore's bed was, and saw the feline familiar was also fast asleep. She wondered if either had been aware of her nightmare, but decided to let them both rest. Besides, she did have enough rest, even though it was only a few hours worth.

She quickly got freshened up, and dressed, making sure to dress warm for the February weather. Because of the reason of the trip she was going to make, she dressed causally, in blue jeans, blue blouse, and a red and blue sweater. If it wasn't for the fact that they needed to get Ambassador Levenque's daughter to the school as discretely as possible, she would have dressed nicer.

When she was finally dressed, she headed out of the bedroom, stopping first to give her husband a kiss. Part of her did hope he would wake up enough to open his eyes, but she also knew if that happened, they might end up doing more than kissing. She then headed out of the bedroom, and turned in the direction of the girl's dorm area. She glanced at her watch, and noticed the time was after one in the morning. It was late night here, but in America, it would be early evening. Hopefully, if things went well, they would be back in a few hours. She then made her way to Anne Smith's room.

---------------------------  
II. Anne  
---------------------------

Anne Smith sat on her bed, reading one of her books. The one she was reading was set on a far away world, with three suns. She had started it when she sat down to rest, like Lady Cale told her to, but she couldn't put it down. She kept reading it, trying to visualize the world, and places in the book. She had just reached a part where the hero was climbing up the side of a bottomless pit, when she heard a knock on the door.

She jumped, and placed the book down. She got up, and glanced over at the clock, and was shocked to see it was one thirty. She gasped, and ran for the door, realizing who it had to be. The second she opened the door, she saw Lady Cale standing there. She wasn't surprised when Lady Cale stepped into her room. "I trust you are ready to go. If all goes well, we will be back before daybreak here."

Anne closed the door, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Lady Cale. I got engrossed in a book. I didn't realize it was so late until you knocked on the door." She looked at Lady Cale, and saw her teacher wasn't upset.

She was even surprised when Lady Cale put an hand on her shoulder, and reassured her. "It's all right. All it means is that I may have to notify Lord Cale that we won't be back until Thursday at the latest." She then noticed that Lady Cale was looking at the book. Before she could say anything else, Lady Cale smiled at her. "Believe it or not, I can understand not wanting to put the book down. It's been a favorite of this house for years."

Anne smiled when she heard her teacher say that. "I never knew that." She was about to ask about that, when Yvette held up her hand. She quickly understood, and calmed herself down. When she felt calm, she just said, "I'm ready whenever you are. I'll open the 'step' when you say so."

Before she activated her power, she noticed Yvette Cale's blue eyes glowing. Soon, in her mind, she had an image of one of the rooms in the museum. Before she could ask, she heard Yvette speak in her mind. _"This is a room devoted to creatures encountered by a speaker at the museum. It replaces one of the original rooms in the museum. We should be able to make that our arrival point."_

Anne nodded, and focused on that image. She then focused on her powers, and watched the wall in front of them. Her powers, as best described, were spacial folding. She had once done it so she could see a place in the United States, but this would be different. Not only was she to use her powers to bring her room, and a museum in the United States together, so they could step between the two; they had to step between the two. The second part was the more tiring concept. It was easy to open a step, as she called them, between two places. The more draining concept was keeping it in place as they passed through.

Soon, she noticed the wall to the room had changed to show the very room in the museum they would arrive in. When she was sure it was ready, she softly said, "It's ready, Lady Cale. Should we hold hands, to prevent any sudden separation?"

She was surprised when Lady Cale took her hand. "Indeed, Guildmaster. It's better to be safe than sorry." When she heard her codename be used, she realized just how important this task was.

As they started to step into the museum, she felt the tingling sensation that she felt every time she did this. However, with a long distance step, the tingling lasted longer, and was a bit intense. It was tiring her out. When they were finally through it, she made the portal disappear, and before literally falling over, she proclaimed, "We made it, Penance."

She felt herself falling over, but realized that her teacher had caught her. She glanced up at her teacher, and saw a concerned look in her eyes. Her teacher smiled and said, "This is what I was worried about. We'll just notify my husband after we talk with Godiva." She leaned on Yvette, and walked with her to the door to the room. Once the door opened, she felt her eyes go wide as she heard an argument coming from the next room, and Anne wondered what it was about.

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III. Godiva  
---------------------------

Godiva Cale was not happy. She had been closing the museum for the day, trying to get everyone out, and she ended up getting face to face with Tony Stark. Over the pass couple of months, the industrialist also known to be Iron Man, had been trying to pressure her into having Paladin Technologies work on a questionable venture with his company. Every time the idea had come up, she shot it down. And now, he was face to face with her. She crossed her arms in front of her, and said, "Why are you here, Stark? We have nothing to discuss."

She watched as he kept a calm look on his old face. Stark had to be about ten or twenty years older than her, and she was sure he was a shark in business. He seemed to have an air of confidence that he could do anything, and it sounded it when he spoke. "Ms. Cale, I beg to differ. When I proposed that Stark Industries and Paladin Technologies work together, it was on a project that has the publics well being at heart."

She recalled in her mind the details she had gotten on the project. When she had initially read over them, certain facts were left out, as if she didn't need to know about them. That really didn't set well with her. She looked at Stark, with a disapproving look. "If you really wanted to work together on something, why hide many of the details from me?"

She didn't react when he smiled. "Those details are nothing you need to worry about. You don't need to see them to agree to help. All you need to know is that I know about the illegal venture you are looking into."

Those words set Godiva back. To the best of her knowledge, there was no illegal venture she was looking into. She steered Paladin Technologies away from all corrupt businesses. No one could dare say she was entering into an illegal business venture, not even Tony Stark. "Listen Stark. I will never let Paladin Technologies do anything illegal. My ancestors, and my family, are all about honor."

She was stunned when he shook his head. "I never said it was a business venture, but how do you think your cousin, who does still own the company, would react to hear the person he put in charge of his company is taking part in an illegal marriage." Those words blind sided Godiva. It was the marriage she and Kyuukai had wanted. For months, she had been keeping tract of laws and anything that would allow the two of them to be married.

It made he angry that Tony Stark would try something underhanded like this. It sounded like this wasn't an attempt to work with Paladin Technologies, but to run it. However, before she could respond to that, she heard a familiar voice with a British accent say, "I think he would be very supportive of it." She glanced in the direction of the voice, and was glad to see Yvette Cale standing there, with who she figured was one of her students. As she looked at her cousins wife, she felt a bit jealous of him.

She then watched as Yvette walked over and faced Tony Stark. He had clearly been taking off guard, but quickly composed himself, and Godiva stifled a giggle as he tried to take this unexpected appearance in stride. "Lady Cale, an honor to meet you. Is your husband here as well."

She could see Yvette was not backing down, or being swayed by his talk. "He's busy at the moment, but he is well aware of what Godiva is doing, and is supportive of it. However, I'm sure he wouldn't be supportive of someone blackmailing his family. I suggest you leave before we decide to bring this to media attention."

Godiva was stunned at the surprised look in Stark's eyes. She wouldn't have gone that route, but it was clear that Yvette wasn't going to back down. Godiva then smiled, remembering why she was refusing. "Indeed, I'm sure the media would love to see the suggested joint project, and love asking about all the details that are left out, which includes the purpose of the joint venture."

Before another word could be said, she watched as Tony Stark looked between the two of them, and nodded. "Very well. Maybe it is best we don't work together." She could see he wasn't happy about it, but he left quietly, but obviously upset about things. As he walked out of the room, he glanced at the figure who entered, her soulmate, Kyuukai Hisui.

When the door finally closed, Godiva turned to face Yvette, and the teen with her. "Thank you, Yvette. I wasn't expecting him to try that angle. For months, he's been trying to work with Paladin Technologies on something." She put that thought out her mind, since Yvette wasn't there to hear about that. She smiled at her cousin's wife. "But you're on an important mission." She glanced over at Kyuukai and said, "Kai, can you go get our guest."

When Kyuukai went over and entered the secret passage in the room, Godiva turned to face Yvette again. "I must admit, your arrival surprised me. How did you get here so fast?" She took a look at the girl with Yvette. The poor girl looked as if she were ready to collapse. Almost immediately, she put two and two together. "Does she have the mutant ability to teleport?"

She was relieved when Yvette nodded. "Spacial folding actually. When she folds space, it doesn't take a lot out of her. She hasn't slept yet, and we just traveled a couple thousand miles in one step, so it took a lot out of her. I'm just glad that Stark didn't ask any questions."

Godiva quickly understood. When she had found out who the girl was, she made sure that she stayed in the living quarters secreted inside the museum. It had been hard for the girl at first, but luckily everyone helped keep her calm. Godiva glanced around the room, seeing a few stragglers, and then stepped close to Yvette. "I understand. You can all stay in the living quarters until you are ready to head home. Besides, the less you are seen down here, the better off you'll be, since neither of you, nor our other guest have passports." She then remained silent until Kyuukai returned.

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IV. Sinister  
---------------------------

Nathaniel Essex watched the scene from the far corner of the room. He couldn't see where the Asian girl that was seen with Godiva Cale a lot had gone, but he was sure of who she was fetching. Eloise Levenque had resurfaced. It was while perusing her many decades ago that he had lost his chance to nab her for his genetic research. He had found out that her father, Jean Levenque, was a mutant, and shared one trait with him, an extended life span. He had also know about Jean's other abilities, and wondered if it had passed on to the daughter. However, just as he was about to catch her to find out, she had disappeared. He had not seen how it happened, but there were signs that it was some mutant power.

Now, he would have another chance to find out. However, as he waited for his chance, he studied the newcomers. He was already well aware of the redhead. He had actually been researching her since she had joined the group named Generation X. Her name, currently, was Yvette Cassidy Cale, and her powers had been more than he first thought. At first, it appeared she could make her skin so sharp, it could easily cut adamantium. With that sharpness, her body shared some qualities with a black hole, namely a slight pull towards her, and her form could literally swallow light. Then, through various means, he learned she had psionic talents, and an advanced healing factor. As for seeing if her powers could be passed on, he knew she had already had two children with her husband.

He also knew of her husband, Lord Richard Cale Jr. When he worked with Apocalypse, he had been forbidden from looking in to the Cale family. He kept his word on that, until something happened. He had heard of the encounter Cale had with Apocalypse, and of the outcome. It made him realize that the Cale family should be studied as well.

Then there was the new girl with Lady Cale. It had to be one of the new student's of the Cale's school, and what he heard about the girl interested him. The brunette with shoulder length hair looked like she was about to collapse, and if he heard right, it was from her power of folding space. It would be interesting to see if that power could get passed on down the generations.

Finally, he saw the Asian girl return with Eloise. As he looked on, he was stunned at how much Eloise looked like Yvette. The two could literally have been twins. Maybe he should try to nab Eloise, Yvette, and the brunette. He started to move out of the corner, and towards the group as they appeared to talk.

As he got closer, he saw Phil Urich, one of the many people who had been known as The Green Goblin, accidentally run into Yvette Cale. Nathanial slowed his walk down, and watched as the boy tried to apologize. However, at that moment, Yvette had turned to face the boy, and he could see a look of fright fill her face. It was as if she knew something bad was going to happen. His thoughts were confirmed when she said, "I think we should get someplace safe, and now."

He realized that she must have known he was there. Was it her psychic abilities, or something else that tipped her off. Since things were blown, he dropped his disguise. As his appearance changed, he heard Eloise scream, but it didn't phase him. "I agree that we should go somewhere safe. In fact, I know the perfect safe area, especially to learn some things about you."

He wasn't surprised to see Yvette turn and face him. He knew she was ready to protect Eloise, and even the brunette with her. "I will not let you touch one hair on Eloise or Anne, Sinister. I know why you are after them." There was a fierceness in her voice that told him that her motherly instinct was in high gear. It was also evident in the fact that her eyes had started to glow all blue.

He just smiled. "And what about yourself, Yvette. I'm sure you wouldn't mind if it meant keeping the others safe." He wasn't going to settle for just her, but it would be a start.

His answer came in a blue bolt that jumped from her mind to his. He staggered back from the mental attack, and noticed that Godiva Cale's hair had started to grow. Before he recovered from the mental attack, he felt the hair hit him with a force that made him spin. When he regained his bearings, he saw people rushing out of the building, and his prey had disappeared. Inwardly, he cursed himself for losing this opportunity, and now he had to retreat. There was no doubt in his mind that someone, maybe the boy who was Green Goblin during the Onslaught incident, may have notified the police. However, Sinister knew how to escape unnoticed. He would have to head to England, especially if he wanted to find out how powerful these mutants at Cale's school could be.

---------------------------  
V. Lady Dark  
---------------------------

Lady Dark walked through the hallways of the underground lair of the 'Rippers'. She was actually coming from the prison area, with her hooded robe in place. Not a single one of the 'Rippers' could see her, or Lord Dark's, face. The penalty for seeing their faces was death. That was what their one prisoner had just learned. Of course, it was her identity that got that prisoner here in the first place.

All the 'Rippers' in the lair knew enough to stay back from her, especially when she came from the prison area. Usually, when she went down there, she would torment one of their captives, or fed off them. This usually meant that she still had her hands in their deadly form. In fact, only one 'Ripper' would dare approached her now, but that one was not around.

Soon, she reached the door to the main room, where she and Lord Dark ruled from. She opened the door, and entered. As the door swung closed, she glanced to where Lord Dark and their first 'Ripper' stood, talking about something. She was sure what ever this discussion was about, it was the reason Lord Dark summoned her. However, she had hoped he had summoned her for another reason.

As she got closer, she noticed the two of them looking at her. Just feeling the gaze of Lord Dark on her made her sashay over to them. As she neared, she asked the important question. "Why did you summon me here?" She smiled as Jack shivered in fright.

Lord Dark just nodded and said, "Our young Jack says he has a plan for attacking the Cale Institute. I thought we should hear it out. It could be very beneficial to our plans." She nodded and looked over at Jack as her husband said, "You may explain it now, Jack."

She glanced over at Jack, and nodded. "Yes, what have you come up with?" She watched as he closed his eyes, and thought about his plan. She was surprised when he reopened his eyes, but not speaking, focused on the floor by her. She felt upset and offended at that. "What's wrong, Jack? Didn't you have a plan?"

She also noticed that Lord Dark was looking at the floor as well. Her attention was drawn to it when he said, "Where have you been, my love?" She then saw the drops of blood on the floor.

She held up her hands, letting the robe sleeves slide down, exposing her claw like hands. "I was down visiting our one special prisoner. I thought I would enjoy a nice meal, and he saw my face. I had no choice." She glanced over at Lord Dark, and noticed as he nodded in understanding. She let her eyes fall on Jack, and saw him shiver a bit at the sight. She smiled, and licked the blood off her claw, knowing how it would chill Jack's bones.

---------------------------  
VI. Jack  
---------------------------

Jack was loyal to Lord and Lady Dark. He knew that they would become real powers, once they were able to emerge from the underground. The sources of food and power were numerous out there, but that would require two things. One would be enough converts like himself to take control, and the other was to replace key figures. According to Lord and Lady Dark, that was Lord and Lady Cale. He didn't understand why, but he trusted his leader.

What unnerved him was how calm Lady Dark was about killing the prisoner. He had helped in the capture of the prisoner, and remembered how both Lord and Lady Dark said he could give them vital information. What he had said at the time, was things they pretty much knew. The only new information they had learned was that the Cale's bodyguards were married. Of course, his capture happened before the school had opened, so he could give no information on the school, but he had some about the people.

Shaking his head to clear the thoughts out of his mind, he focused on his plan. He looked at Lord Dark, and told of his plan. "Simply put, Lord Dark, my plan is to attack the school, capture key students, and of course, injuring the bodyguards, if not killing them."

He watched as Lord Dark nodded, and asked an important question. "Which students would you capture, and why?"

He had given that subject some serious thought since their attack two weeks ago. "I would capture Anne Smith, so her space folding ability would be ours to use, once we convert her." Deep down, he felt very confident about that task. "I would also capture Prince James, using him so we get control of the crown. I also plan to capture a few other students, to use as food."

He could tell Lord Dark was pleased by the choices, but Lord Dark's voice remained calm. "How would you get into the school? No doubt that security has been increased since the last attack."

He nodded, considering that. "Indeed, however, I think one of our converts can drain the light from an area. I will have them plunge the area into darkness. It will disorient everyone. We would then use the gifts you gave us to find our victims."

He watched as Lord Dark nodded approvingly. "Very good, Jack. I like your plan, and you may begin on getting things ready for the attack. I just have one condition for you this time." Jack held his breath when he heard those words. Last time that Lord Dark made a condition, he failed in having it fulfilled. He wasn't punished for it, thankfully, but he was worried what would happen if he failed this time.

---------------------------  
VII. Lord Dark  
---------------------------

Lord Dark smiled when he saw Jack starting to sweat, feeling nervous about his last words. He figured the killing of the one bodyguard would fail, although Lord Dark would liked to have seen the man dead. Of course, that stemmed from his escape, most likely due to some of Portal's associates. However, he was sure that Jack could meet his new condition. "I want you to launch your attack in March. I want to lull the Cale's in to a false sense of security."

He watched as Jack nodded his understanding. "Yes sir. In the meantime, I'll get the 'Rippers' ready for the attack. I won't fail you again." Lord Dark believed Jack, mainly because Jack was not only their first 'Ripper', he was also their most successful in his tasks. He gave Jack a little more forgiveness than he gave others in the 'Rippers'.

Before Jack reached the door, he calmly said, "And Jack." When his minion turned to face him, he said, "Find and send in Necra. We have a task for her." He watched as Jack nodded, while suppressing a shiver. He then watched as Jack left the room, visibly shaken by the request.

He knew why Jack felt that way. Part of it was because of Necra's power, and the other part was how she looked. After the door was closed, he removed his hood and looked at Lady Dark. She did the same, and he looked into her blue eyes, which had the same crazed look that his brown eyes had. He could see though, that she was wondering about his request. "Why did you ask Necra to come here?"

He smiled at her, and explained. "Very simple, you've killed our one captive, and given who he is, I'm sure him showing up on the lawn of the Cale Institute would be a blow to the school."

He enjoyed the smile she gave him. "And let me guess, Lady Cale gets the blame for his death. I love it." He could tell in her eyes that she wanted to reward him for such an evil plan, but he held up his hand. He was sure that Necra would be entering soon.

He saw the door open, and watched as Necra entered the room. Her appearance now only made the evil that the 'Rippers' were worse. As she entered, he watched as she looked at them, and lowered her head. "You called for me, Masters."

Lord Dark remained in his place, holding Lady Dark, and said, "Raise your head, Necra. You are the only one of the 'Rippers' who knows our real faces. We have a task for you. Go down to the dungeons and fetch the dead body. Afterwards, make sure it is dropped off at the Cale Institute."

He watched as she nodded her head, which made her appearance all the more ghoulish. "Yes, sir. I will do as you ordered. Anything else I should do while there?"

He shook his head, and watched as she nodded and left the room. When she was out of the room, he turned back to Lady Dark, and smiled. "There. Let's see how the school handles this delivery, as well as the upcoming attack when it happens." He then embraced her, and kissed her. During that kiss, they let their lust take over, enjoying the delight their plans caused in them.

---------------------------  
VIII. Alex  
---------------------------

Alex was a bit stunned as she sat in History class. This stunned feeling was a reaction to something she heard. As she sat in class, she focused on the teacher, Lord Richard Cale. He and his school was the main reason she was here. She was undercover, spying for her boss, Graylon Walsh. He had felt that Lord Cale was up to something, covering up facts about his family, and why the family finally returned to England. She knew Graylon had thought it odd that the monarchy would ask for the Cale's as a Royal Advisor.

However, all that aside, the weirdness was related to her focusing on Lord Cale. Even though he was standing in the front of the room, she could have sworn she just heard him making a plan to attack the school. It didn't make sense, unless her power had taken a new twist. Her power was to hear things over any distance, and from any location. It was how Graylon had found out many things related to the Cales. However, this time, she didn't know what to make of what she heard. Could it have been a planned test for their skills. She had overheard about an attack by the 'Rippers', but that was almost two weeks ago.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Lord Cale talking to her. "Samantha, have you been paying attention?" She nodded, hoping she would be convincing. She then realized how much she must have missed when Lord Cale said, "Then name an example of when things have not been what they seemed when it comes to mutants?"

She thought about it for a moment. From the beginning of the lecture, he had been talking about how things did not appear to be as they seemed. She couldn't even think of any situation, except her own, and if she mentioned that, her cover would be blown.

She was thankful when Lord Cale sighed. "I guess your mind must have been elsewhere. Class, your assignment for next time we meet will be to write about a situation where things might not be what they seem. I'm sure there may be examples you can site from. Remember, all of history is full of examples were nothing is as it seemed to be."

Alex was glad the class was dismissed, and quickly gathered her things. What ever she had overheard in there, there had to be some reason for it. She ran out the door, and ran towards the other girls. She was also wondering why Anne Smith hadn't been in class that day, and why she hadn't seen any sign of Lady Cale as well. She then quickly caught up with the other girls who were in class, and tried to think up a way to introduce the topic of what she had heard, with out giving out how she heard it.

---------------------------  
IX. Amy  
---------------------------

Amy Johnson walked from History Class along side Tasha Lewis. As they walked along, she wondered where Anne was. Ever since the school started, Anne could always find a way to interject a small fact from one of her books into each class. Sometimes it had brought a moment of humor to the class, and after Samantha Cain choked, it would have been needed. As they walked, she asked Tasha the question on her mind. "Hey Tasha, have you seen Lady Cale, or Anne all day. I know they said they had a task to do, but I haven't seen either."

She was thankful when Tasha nodded, and whispered to her. "Ms. St. Croix told me they are still in America. Something about their task didn't go as planned. I think it was because Anne was up all night reading The Dark Crystal." Amy wasn't surprised by that, but she wondered how Tasha knew which book Anne was reading. Before she could ask, Tasha just said, "She was reading it when I asked her about something in Ms. St. Croix's class that I missed"

Before she could ask Tasha if she knew anything about the task, she noticed that Samantha was coming up to them. If she didn't know Samantha was coming up behind them, she would have jumped when the girl said, "Hey, I wanted to ask you two about something?"

In that moment, she noticed that Tasha seemed a little distant, so she felt she had to answer the question. She didn't understand why Tasha seemed distant to the new girl at the school, but then again, Tasha had been in the med unit for a few days. She turned to face Samantha, and answered. "What did you want to know about? Let me guess, you spaced out in class and missed something."

She was surprised when Samantha shook her head. She watch as Samantha looked behind her, and then said softly, "I think I might have overheard Lord Cale planning to test us before I got to class. I think he's planning to do a mock attack to test our powers."

Amy couldn't believe what Samantha was saying, even though it might make some sense. However, after what happened at the mall, and the 'Ripper' attack two weeks ago, he might try to test their abilities. She also remember that Lord Cale had set up a room to do that in. She looked over at Samantha, and said, "I don't think he'd stage an attack. He had a special room set up to help train our abilities."

She watched as Samantha just shrugged. "Maybe he's planning a surprise test. Something we shouldn't expect. It would make sense if he wants to be sure we are able to defend ourselves." Amy had to admit to herself that it made sense, but why would he talk about it around Samantha, and then it occurred to her. Samantha had told them about her ability, as it was dubbed, 'remote hearing'. However, if she did find out about it, it sounds like she was spying on him, for some reason.

As they were about to reach the girl's dorm area, she saw Kiana come out of a room. She was about to call the Asian girl over, but saw that Tasha started walking over to the girl. She knew that Kiana had helped Tasha during the weekend attack, and before that, they had started talking. Given how Tasha became quiet when Samantha got near, as if she were uncomfortable, she let Tasha be alone with Kiana. However, she hoped to talk later with Kiana, especially about the worries that Samantha had started in her.

---------------------------  
X. Kiana  
---------------------------

Kiana Asahara was glad to see Tasha. So far, the African-British mutant was the only friend she had made at the school. She hadn't really gotten close to any of the others at the school, except for the teachers she dealt with. However, Tasha had her own baggage of problems that Kiana felt sympathy for. Tasha approached her, and said, "Can we go somewhere and talk?"

She nodded and walked along side Tasha. She noticed that Amy was talking with the new girl, Samantha, but something worried her about that scene. When she first met the girl, something in her made her feel uneasy. When she felt they were out of earshot of the other two girls, Kiana looked at Tasha. "What's wrong, Tasha?"

She watched as Tasha chanced a glance back, and then softly answered. "Do you trust Samantha? I want to know your take on her."

Kiana's thoughts went right back to what she was thinking a moment before. "Honestly, I feel like she's hiding something. It's not that I think she's up to something bad, but I think she's up to something." In her mind, she felt that Samantha was up to something that might not help the school, nor the Cales.

As they walked, she heard Tasha give a sigh of relief. "I have that feeling to, and I think she is hiding something. Lord Cale wants me to keep an eye out for someone who might cause ill for the school, and I think it's her."

Kiana wanted to ask her more, but she put the subject aside when Prince James joined them. She wasn't surprised when he approached Tasha's side, but spoke to both of them. "Kiana, Tasha, I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

She watched as Tasha lowered her head, as if she was trying to hide her face, and said, "No. We were just talking about things. Thank you again for visiting me in the med-unit." Kiana wasn't an empath, or even a mutant, but something told her that Tasha was trying to hide how she felt. She knew Prince James spent a lot of time in the med-unit when Tasha was recovering.

She then looked over at Prince James and said, "Yes. Talking about the new students and her classes. What are your opinions on the new students?" Even as she asked the question, she could see he wasn't paying attention. In fact, she realized that the Prince must not have realized she was talking to him.

She could also tell that Tasha was starting to pay attention to the Prince. She wondered if Tasha suspected that the Prince had feelings for her. She decided it might be best to leave the two alone to talk. Kiana silently walked away, and headed to the library. If she was right, Monet St. Croix would have something for her to look over. She hoped that was the case, since for some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was on the horizon.

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Authors Notes  
---------------------------

To those of you who have been following X-Knights, I still have more planned. This chapter leads to some event that will impact future chapters.

Alex, the real identity of Samantha Cain, joined the school during the story arc covered in Chapters 13-15.

Kiana joins the series in chapter 10. She has formed a friendship with Tasha Lewis.

The problems Tasha Lewis has all relates to her parents, first mentioned in Chapter 3. More recent chapters show that Tasha Lewis's parents have joined the Knights of Humanity, all in a ploy to regain their daughter, just to use her abilities.

Godiva and Kyuukai reapppear after the events in Chapter 16. Both were introduced in the story Stranger and Stranger of the Cale Storyline. Godiva takes control of Paladin Technologies in the story Class Dismissed of the Cale Storyline.

This chapter is the first, but not last appearance, of Mr. Sinister.

The identity of the dead prisoner of the Ripper's will be revealed in the next chapter, however I can tell that they have been mentioned in the Generation X comics in the past.

Eloise and the Ambassador Jean Levenque are characters created by Rich Palmer.

Tasha, Kiana, Graylon, Asira are all characters created by Mike N.

Chapter End


	19. Gains And Losses

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 19: Gains And Losses

* * *

I. Necra

* * *

Necra made her way to the Cale Institute. She was traveling at night, mainly due to her mission. Her masters, Lord and Lady Dark, had asked her to deliver the corpse of a recently dead prisoner there. This was not a problem for her, since she didn't have to carry it. Given her current condition, carrying a corpse would be a huge problem. In fact, it was because of her condition that she was able to do the task.

Necra had a unique power. She had the ability to reanimate the dead. The more recent the dead, the easier it was to re-animate them. However, with every corpse, there were some difficulties. Not only did she have to make this one move, but also control its latent mutant abilities. That would be easier if she didn't have to use a majority of her powers on herself.

Just the thought of that reminded her of the moment she had become one of the 'Rippers'. She had been leaving a building long ago, when she stumbled across the leaders of the 'Rippers', and she recognized their faces. Just as their names crossed her lips, she had felt, and seen, Lady Dark's claw like hand go right into her chest. She still wore the outfit, with the gaping hole in her chest were the shredded remains of her heart was. The second her heart was destroyed, her power reanimated her corpse. It was that power that kept her at the slightly decayed state, and made her look like a zombie. Once Lord and Lady Dark realized her power, they quickly made her part of the group.

She was lost in her memories when she had reached the school. She was aware of how big the grounds were. However, she was told to place the corpse in a spot that all would see it in the morning. She directed the corpse to one spot that would be perfect. Judging from what she could see, when the sun came up, this spot would be the last to be uncovered by shadows. It would be an unsettling sight for all the people there, especially the children.

She let the body collapse when she released her power over it. She smiled, if her face could do much else, as the corpse fell to the ground, laying in an unnatural way. The sight would be more disturbing when they saw the corpse's power running out of control. Well, it couldn't run out of control, but it wasn't held in check by any mental processes.

Necra then turned away from the corpse, and started to leave the grounds. As she left, she realized the use of her power did weaken her a bit, and that meant she would need to sup. Hopefully, she could find a lone mutant in the town, and sup on their powers, and even his life. Taking a life was no big deal to her, since life didn't mean that much to her now. Part of her even hoped one of the students would show up right now, but she was sure that all the students were inside the school. A shame, especially if one of them were very powerful, and keep her powers active for a long time until next time she needed to feed. However, odds that one of them was outside right now were very slim. She'd have to settle for one of the mutants in town.

* * *

II. Allan

* * *

Allan Arron quietly moved around the school grounds. He had snuck out earlier to get in a nice walk when he could be outside. This was due to a unique condition he had, which made him unable to go anywhere there was light. Even a slight bit of light burned him, at least when he wasn't using his ability. Luckily, he had the ability to alter his form, but only into that of video game characters.

That would be all right, but if the character he transformed into had any bare skin exposed, the light eventually would start to hurt him. Regardless, it felt good to be in his natural form, even if it took a few transformations to get out of his room.

His enjoyment ended when he noticed someone was on the grounds near the entrance. Actually, it appeared to be two people, but he couldn't be sure, and he couldn't get close. He also didn't want to be spotted. He got close to the side of the building, and quickly transformed. This time, he turned into the Predator, from one of the many games featuring the movie based hunter. Luckily, while the Predator was a good one to two feet taller than him, and would have stood out, he picked this form for it's cloaking ability.

Once invisible, he watch as the one figure collapsed, and the other started to leave. As the figure moved, he watch as their movements seemed a bit odd. It was as if the figure wasn't fully alive, but he shook that notion out of his mind. The other figure, which wasn't moving, was his concern. Part of him wanted to rush over, and try to help the figure, but another part of him said to wait until the first figure left.

The minutes passed, until the other figure left the grounds. He then took a deep breath, and started towards the figure. As he moved, Allen noticed the sky was starting to brighten, which told him that sunrise would soon start. That would mean he would have to choose different forms, and even though he had chosen the form he was in now, the light would burn him, regardless if he could be seen or not.

With the stride of the form he was in, he reached the figure in almost no time. However, when he reached it, Allan quickly realized he didn't want to be near it. The figure on the ground was obviously dead. From what he saw, it appeared like the figure had been stabbed multiple times, but their was no blood on the ground. The figure was gray, which would fit in the impossible scenario that the figure had been dead for a while. However, the most disturbing fact was the skin. The figure's skin appeared to be oozing off of it.

He clamped his mouth shut when he felt like he was going to hurl, and then turned around. He quickly shifted form, changing into one of the fastest game characters that he knew of, and ran towards the front door. Right now, he didn't care about being yelled at for sneaking out of his room. All he cared about was letting someone know about the corpse.

As he reached the front door, he was surprised to see it opening, but was glad to see the teacher named Davis. He couldn't remember the teacher's last name at the moment, but he didn't care. He slowed down, but still managed to tumble into Davis. As the teacher shook his head, he quickly spoke, matching the blue form he was in. "Mr. Davis. Sorry about knocking you over, but there is a dead body on the ground." He then noticed that Davis's eyes went wide, as the words just registered with him.

* * *

III. Davis

* * *

Davis Skinur had woken up early this Thursday morning. It wasn't typical of him, especially since coming to England, but he did not rest well. There were a few things plaguing his mind. Those at the top of the list were worrying about his past being discovered, and sorting out his feelings for Monet St. Croix. Every one of the teachers at the school knew his past, but were working past it. None of the students knew his past, and he hoped it stayed that way.

His feelings for Monet St. Croix were another thing entirely. He cared a great deal for her. He wondered if it was a factor in his breaking out of Apocalypse's control. Even though he hadn't seen her for a few years, the feelings were still there when he came to the school. Deep down, he didn't know if Monet would react favorably to a request for a date.

He was lost on this thought when Allen Arron came in, making claims about a dead body. He was sure that the young shape shifter was outside when he wasn't supposed to be. He raised his hands up, to signal the lad to slow down, which might be difficult in the form of video game hedgehog, and spoke. "Allen, slow down. You are aware that you are outside when you aren't supposed to be."

He watch as the student nodded. "I know sir. I had snuck out so I could at least walk around in normal form. I don't get to do that during the day. I know I made a mistake, but someone just left a body on the school's front lawn."

Davis could tell by the sound of the student's voice that he was upset. He headed for the door, and opened it. "Stay here, and I'll go check it out. Understood?" He watched as the boy nodded his hedgehog head, and then headed out to the front lawn.

As he stepped out into the cool air, he headed right to the corpse. He thought about turning back for a jacket, but he had to see what had disturbed the student so. In the dawning sun, he could make out the shapes on the front lawn. Even in the shadows of the building, he could see where the corpse was. As he neared it, he noticed that the body appeared to cover more area than a human corpse would. He started to wonder if it might have been a mutant corpse.

When he finally reached the corpse, he froze. However the corpse had been laying, it was obvious that it had fallen in a way for it's face to be seen. That made him gasp in shock, and he quickly turned around and ran back into the building. There was only one thing to do now, since he knew who the corpse was. It was someone he had seen before, about five years ago. He was also aware of the person's background, from working at Godiva's museum the past year or so. He worked side by side with some of the former Generation X members. That had been hard at first, but time helped them realize he wasn't the person he was before.

He final stopped running when he reached the door to Richard and Yvette's bedroom. He pounded on the door, and shouted. "Richard, you need to wake up. There is corpse on the front lawn, and you need to call the police."

He heard movement on the other side, before a voice spoke. "Davis, I'm sure you can call the police. I understand you being leery about calling them, but I'll talk to them when they get here."

He understood why his old friend thought that way, but that wasn't the main reason he was worried. "Richard, you don't understand. You need to call. The corpse is a mutant, one we all know. It's Angelo Espanosa." He backed away from the door when he heard a bunch of expletives from the door, and he realized that Richard was most likely going to make the call from the room. He stayed quiet, and also felt glad he wasn't in Richard's shoes.

* * *

IV. Richard

* * *

Lord Richard Cale Jr. stood looking over the corpse that had been left on the school's lawn. It was a very disturbing sight. When Davis told him whose corpse it was, he knew the situation was going to be bad, and needed to be contained. He wasn't alone either. When word had spread about the corpse, all the teachers had come down, except for Davis. He understood Davis's reasons, and was partially thankful that he remained with the students.

He glanced around at everyone, noticing the various reactions. Jubilation Thomas had thrown up, and her husband, Everett, was comforting her. Richard knew that Angelo was one of Everett's closest friend at school. Monet St. Croix stood a bit stoic, but given all the losses Monet had seen in her life, he understood why. Darrett and Clarice Ferguson-Thomas were both staying calm, but given the timelines they were from, he understood why. He could have used the support of his wife, Yvette, but she was still in America.

He looked towards the gate when he heard police cars pulling into the driveway. He glanced at the others, and motioned towards the school. "Maybe it would be best if you all went inside. I can handle things here." He watched as everyone nodded, and then headed towards the front door.

As he stood there, waiting for the police to come over, he started to wonder how things played out when his parents had been killed. He looked into it a few years ago, but he never knew how things played out when the police arrived. Now, looking over Angelo, he wondered how things would have been different if he had been home. Could he have saved them?

He was brought out of his thoughts when the lead detective came over to him. "Lord Cale. I'm Detective Adrian, in charge of homicide. I take it this is the murder victim." Richard Cale nodded, and let the detective continue. "Was this someone you knew?"

For a moment, he remember the days at school, pulling the occasional sucker bet on Angelo. Even though it was at Angelo's expense, Angelo never was bitter. There were even a few jokes that Richard had walked into, and it evened things out. He finally responded to the detective. "We went to school together in America. Detective, I want this handled with great delicately, and kept quiet."

He noticed the surprised look on the officer's face, and then watched as a calm look returned. "I can understand your concern, especially with this happening here. However, I can't imagine this being kept quiet for long. Eventually, it will get out."

Richard nodded, remembering the tape of the Iron Chef incident getting out. However, when he said the next fact, he was sure the officer's tune would change. "I am aware that is eventual. However, I must inform you that this victim, named Angelo Espanosa, was technically dead before now. An event in the past left the majority of the people he knew believing he was dead. I'm sure you can agree that this makes this more delicate than normal." He watched as the detective nodded, and then motioned for his team to move in.

Richard Cale stepped back from the corpse, but remained nearby as the detective looked at him and nodded. In that nod, he could tell that the detective was going to keep this as quiet as possible. He felt a bit relaxed now, knowing this would be handled as delicately as possible, and optimistic that no one, not even Graylon Walsh, would find out about the corpse.

* * *

V. Clarice

* * *

Clarice Ferguson-Thomas stood on the steps leading into the Cale Institute, with the rest of the teachers, and Allen Arron sat on the step, in the form of Samus Aran in battle suit. Although she wouldn't show it, she was upset about the loss of Angelo's life. It was true that she didn't know him as well as the others, but after living in the Age of Apocalypse, she hated to see anyone murdered. Finally, she sighed, and asked the important question. "When was the last any of us heard from him?"

She was surprised when Everett said, "We heard from him a few months ago. He called us, saying he would be making a trip overseas. We didn't know he was coming here, since he wanted to keep quiet about it. I just wish I knew what happened to him."

She was stunned when her husband, Darrett Xavier Thomas, responded to the statement. "When we were looking at the corpse, I noticed something. He was stabbed by claw like hands. That doesn't make any sense, since the only persons I know that has something like that is..."

She heard Monet St. Croix cut off Darrett's statement. "Don't even suggest that as a possibility, Darrett. You know, as well as everyone else here, that it can't be who you are about to say. People are not always how we first perceive them, something I know you are aware of."

Clarice looked back at the African mutant, some what surprised by the statement. She wondered if the incident at the mall had been at the root of the statement. She was aware that if the students hadn't acted, which released Davis from the suspended animation that Freeze Frame had caused, it would have been disastrous. However, before she could ask about the statement, she heard Jubilation Thomas say, "I think I better go back inside. I think that sight bothered me a bit more than I thought."

As Jubilation headed inside, followed by Everett, she heard Allen say, "I guess I wasn't the only one bothered by the discovery. I guess I shouldn't have gone outside at night, but it's the only time I can walk around normal."

Clarice put a hand on Allen's shoulder, or at least where his shoulder would have been under the armor. "At least we found out about it before we all discovered it by the day light. Right where the body was placed is in shadows until the sun reaches a certain point in the morning sky. Whomever put the corpse there wanted it discovered much later. However," and she looked up to see some officers coming over to them, "I think it is time you told the police what you saw." She then watched as the boy got up, and went over to talk to the police.

As she watched Allen talk with the police, she noticed another vehicle seemed to arrive on the scene. It was an unmarked car, which could be another detective. However, she realized that wasn't the case, especially when Monet made her next statement. "I think the situation just got worse."

Clarice took another look at the car, and then noticed who was stepping out of the vehicle, ready to get all the details. She started to step down, but noticed that the police were trying to slow the figure down. It was her husband who finally said the words that made all of them watching stand still. "How did Graylon Walsh find out about this?" She also wondered that, since they were sure there were no bugging devices in the school.

* * *

VI. Graylon

* * *

Graylon Walsh tried to make his way towards the location of the corpse. He would have hoped that Alex would have notified him earlier about this, but she couldn't. However, now he was getting in on the scoop, especially as it gained a link to Lord Cale. It wasn't that he didn't like Cale, but the public loved stories about the faults of the higher class, as well as stuff that was to be kept secret.

As he neared the corpse, he was sure he could tell the figure had gray skin, that seemed to ooze off of them. He was about to raise his digital camera to take a picture, only to have his view blocked by Lord Cale. He smiled, knowing that Cale didn't want him on the ground, and decided maybe he could get some info, and maybe something he could use to make himself to look good. "Lord Cale, what is going on over there?"

He wasn't surprised when Lord Cale didn't move, but kept a stern look on his face. "Nothing that concerns you, Mr. Walsh. Now leave the premises, before I ask the officers to escort you out."

Graylon quickly snapped a picture of Lord Cale, and tried to get a picture of the corpse. "Now, now, something is going on over there, and as a member of the press, I have the right to report it." He tried to move around Lord Cale, but was surprise at how fast Lord Cale blocked him.

He wasn't surprised when Lord Cale frowned and responded to the statement. "Then you can find out about it from the police when they are finished. As of right now, you are trespassing on my property, and I am within my rights to have you thrown out."

Graylon inwardly knew that Lord Cale was right. He was trespassing, but he was on the verge of a big story, especially one that would be linked to a Lord. "Well, I guess I can ask you some questions since you won't let me over there. Was it you who discovered to corpse, or was it one of those students you have here? What do you think their parents will think of this?"

He wasn't surprised when Richard Cale motioned to some of the police officers. However, he wasn't going to be intimidated by the actions. It would only fuel his drive to let the story be known. Once the officers were there, he heard Lord Cale say to them. "Please get this person off the property. I'm afraid he's contaminating the crime scene your detective is trying to investigate."

As the officers turned him around, he shouted so Lord Cale could hear him. "You can't keep the truth hidden. I'm sure there are people who want to know about Angelo Espanosa." He quickly shut his mouth as the officers momentarily stopped. He inwardly cursed himself for saying that.

Almost in an instant, he saw the lead detective come over and face him. "Now, how did you know that, Mr. Walsh, since I only just heard that name for the first time here." Graylon stayed silent, knowing that if he told, his spy might be discovered. He also wondered where Lord Cale might be, but couldn't see him in front of him.

He stopped wondering when he heard a zap in the vicinity of all his equipment. He kept a calm face, but inside he was in a panic. Something had happened, and if it was what he thought it might be, all his information was ruined. Finally, the detective motioned to the officers. "Get him out of here. And make sure none of his notes leave here at the moment." Before the officers moved again, he saw the detective look at him, saying, "You just ended up on a list of possible suspects, Mr. Walsh, so you better be ready to talk with me in a bit." He then was escorted out, but in his mind, he realized that he would not have any information for them to take. That zap he heard must have ruined all he had. His panic ruined the information for his story.

* * *

VII. Paige

* * *

Paige Guthrie was stunned by what she was seeing at the home of her old Generation X classmates, Richard and Yvette Cale. From the passenger seat of the car that Jonothan Starsmore had gotten, she saw police cars, and two policemen escorting a gentleman out of the gate. As Jonothan stopped the car, she heard him say, "Bloody hell. What happened here?"

She looked around, and noticed two more officers were approaching the car. "Ah don't know, and Ah don't think they are going to let us in." As the officers approached, she also notice one figure was watching from where most of the other officers were.

She watched as Jonothan got out of the car, and quickly followed, hoping they could explain that they were asked to come here. As she moved around the car to Jonothan's side, she saw the figure start to run towards them, and she realized who it was. It was Richard Cale Jr. As he advanced, she noticed how different and how similar he looked to when they last saw him, over five years ago. Before the officers said anything, she heard him shout. "It's all right. I was expecting them to show up today. I'll take them up to the school, and be back out if needed."

When the officers left, and Richard was standing with them, Paige looked at her former classmate, and could tell he had aged a bit since they last met. However, if he was running a school, that was understandable. Before he could get a word out, Paige quickly hugged him. "Richard, it's been too long. How is everyone, and what is going on here?"

When she left go of him, Richard started to usher them towards the building. "I wish I could say everyone is well here, but we've all had a shake up. A corpse was left on our front lawn."

She was shocked when he said that. As they walked towards the door, she looked back at the scene, and Jonothan asked about the man who was escorted away. "Who was that the police escorted out? Someone related to the victim, or someone else, since the man looked familiar."

She was stunned when Richard answered the question. "The man escorted off was a reporter, Graylon Walsh. He's been a thorn in our side for a while now, and he's in no way related to the victim." She stopped when Richard stopped, and was stunned by his next words. "He was escorted off because he somehow discovered the victim's identity. It's the reason the police are trying to keep this quiet, at my request. The victim is Angelo."

Paige saw the look of shock momentarily cross Jonothan's face. That was until, in that moment of shock, it disappeared, revealing the fiery chamber created by his power, and then watched as it returned. After a moment, she heard him respond. "How can that be? Last I heard from him, he said he was going to visit an old classmate of ours overseas. I didn't know he came to England."

She noticed that Richard was surprised by this news as well. "Neither did I, until now. But that doesn't answer what happened to him, unless the 'Rippers' are some how involved." That was the second time she heard the term mentioned.

When they reacehed the door, she asked an important question. "Is that part of why you started this school?" When he nodded, she smiled. "Well, I'm glad you asked Charles to send us over. We will be glad to help."

She felt better when he smiled. "Thanks. I want you to meet everyone. The students, and the teachers, although I'm sure you know all the teachers." She and Jonothan followed Richard in the front door, and she saw everyone assembled in the room, but she was surprised by one face in the crowd. It was someone, even given what happened over five years ago, she didn't expect to see, and she could tell Jonothan wasn't happy to see them either.

* * *

VIII. Monet

* * *

Monet St. Croix was glad to see Jonothan and Paige had arrived at the school to help out. She also noticed that they seemed to be upset by something. At first, she was sure that it was the fact that Angelo was dead, but when she noticed where Jonothan had focused his gaze, she realized that wasn't the primary reason. She could even tell that the reaction wasn't what Richard expected either, since he appeared to be ready to introduce everyone, especially as Allen had come in from talking with the police.

Before any one could react, she watched as Jonothan walked over to Davis, and slugged him. As Davis collapsed, she heard Jonothan say, "What the hell is this criminal doing here?" As those words were spoken, she could see the shocked looks on all the students' faces. Until now, none of the kids knew about Davis's past.

As Davis laid on the floor, rubbing his jaw, she saw Richard run over and step between Davis and Jonothan. "He is here to help, Jonothan. Don't you remember that he broke free of Apocalypse's control?"

She then heard Paige react to the statement. "Have you forgotten all he did to us? You can't expect us all to forgive that." Of all of her former Generation X teammates, she figured Paige would have been the most noble of them when it came to forgiving Davis.

At that moment, she realized that she had started to see past Davis's past. He may not have been a saint, but none of them had done things they were proud of. She quickly stepped up to Paige, and looked the Southern girl in the eyes. "None of us have something we are proud of, Paige. Remember how you lost it one night and got drunk? I'm sure Jonothan remembers that too, since the surprise you pulled on Jonothan made him blow up the dorm." She watched as Paige went from upset to humbled, but she didn't stop there. "I eventually admitted that Emplate was my brother. As for Davis's past, he realized that he did some things wrong, and has been atoning for them. This is his penance for those crimes, his way of making things right, as best he can."

She then walked over, and helped Davis get back to his feet. As he was getting up, she heard Davis say, "It's all right. I didn't expect them to accept me at first, but I do thank you for coming to my defense." When she heard those words, she could tell that he really meant them. She started to wonder if there was something more to his thanks.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Jubilation said, "I guess introductions are going to happen later. That outburst caused some of the students to scatter." Monet glanced around the room again, and noticed that some of the students had disappeared. Specifically, Samantha Cain, Tasha Lewis, Kevin Mitchel, and Amy Johnson had all left the room.

Before anyone could even search for the students, Paige alerted them all to someone's arrival. "Oh my Gawd, Mr. Cassidy, is that you?" She turned to see Sean Cassidy, formerly known as Banshee, entering the entrance hall. Even though she was sure Sean was glad to see the others, the look on his face was that of concern, and that had her worried.

* * *

IX. Sean

* * *

Sean Cassidy didn't like leaving the little kids in the game room, but he had told them he would return shortly. However, he was glad to see two more of his former students, although the little altercation between Monet and Paige was not a welcome sight. After seeing that, he was glad all the little kids were in the game room.

As he got further into the entrance hall, he smiled at Paige. "Aye lass, 'tis me. However, I thought I taught ye better. I wasn't to thrilled to see Davis at first, but he did straighten himself out. He's also doing all he can to help protect these kids. Is that understood?"

He watched as both Jonothan and Paige nodded, although neither seemed entirely happy about it. He then looked over at Richard, and motioned the lad to come over. He was thankful when Richard did walk over, but could tell the lad was concerned. "What's wrong, Sean?"

Sean wasn't exactly sure how to tell what he encountered, but he was sure it might have been linked to the incident between Jonothan and Davis. He glanced around for a moment, noticing that many of his former students were getting reacquainted with Jonothan and Paige. He felt safe talking with Richard about what he had witnessed. "Lad, I had just left the kids in the game room, since I didn't want them seeing the corpse of Angelo. However, on my way here, I noticed Tasha Lewis standing by one door, as if she was listening in on something."

He noticed Richard nodding as if he understood. "I gave Tasha a special task to hone her abilities. Please continue."

Sean started to worry a bit when Richard said that. However, he also wondered if it was linked to what he had heard. "Well, lad, I was about to ask her what she was doing, but then I heard something on the other side of the door." He noticed Richard raised his eyebrows, as if he was expecting something of interest. "Anyhow, it sounded like that new girl, Samantha Cain, was on the phone with someone. Now, I don't know who she was talking too, but she was trying to keep her voice low."

He watch as Richard smacked his forehead. "I should have realized it when I first heard her power. Show me which room she is in."

Sean lead the way out of the hall, and started leading Richard to the room, but was puzzled by the remark. "Lad, what did ye mean by 'ye should have realized it?' What is her power?"

Sean was stunned when Richard told him. "She has remote hearing. She doesn't have to be in the same room as a conversation to hear it. All she would have to do is focus on a person in the conversation." In a brief moment, everything clicked in Sean's mind. All the difficulties that his adopted daughter and her husband had been having. How Graylon Walsh knew about his arrival in England. The girl had been working for Walsh. Now, Richard's assignment for Tasha made a lot of sense. The lass must have picked up on something about the new girl. Sean now wanted to see what would happen, and how Richard would handle it.

* * *

X. Alex

* * *

Alex was glad with how Graylon was reacting to the news she had just told. After seeing the altercation between the new guy, and the teacher known as Davis, she knew this was important. "Indeed, this guy who had arrived called Davis a criminal. How do you think the people would react to that?"

The voice on the other end of the phone sounded happy. _"I think it would raise questions about the school. I'll do some researching here. Thanks. Also, thank you again for the name of the corpse. I'm sure the police are going to keep it quiet, but I plan to let the name be known. There has to be a reason Cale wants to keep it hidden. Keep up the good work, Alex."_

She hung up her cell phone, and smiled. It was good to be using her powers in what she felt was a good way. However, she still worried about being undercover. This was the first time she was undercover, due to her age. Other stories she helped Graylon break, she did by using her powers, never by infiltration. It was how he brought the one manhunt to the attention of the public. Scotland Yard didn't like it, but they couldn't figure out who had blabbed.

Her recollections were interrupted when she heard the sounds of footsteps behind her. She spun around just in time to see Lady Yvette Cale, Anne Smith and a young female appear to step through a portal. She quickly stepped back, backing into the door to the room. She quickly regained her composure, and finally spoke. "Lady Cale. You startled me. Who's the girl with you?"

She listened intently as Lady Cale looked at the redheaded girl, and smiled. "She's the daughter of an old friend. He asked us to bring her here for her safety. You looked a bit shocked. Did something happen while we were gone?"

Alex thought about it for a moment, and decided to tell what she knew, omitting how she had heard. "Well, overnight, a body was discover on the grounds. I think someone mentioned the name Angelo something or other. The police arrived to take care of things. Then two more individuals arrived, and there was an altercation with Davis."

She then heard two sounds. The first was a gasp from Lady Cale. The second was the door behind her opening. As she stood there, she then heard Lord Cale say, "What's going on, Alexandra?"

She turned to face Lord Cale, not realizing what he had asked. "I just saw Lady Cale, Anne Smith, and this young lady arrive, and started informing them what had happened." She was about to say more, when she started to replay what he had asked. The last word stuck in her head for a moment. She then looked at Lord Cale, and nervously asked, "W-w-what did you say, sir?"

She felt her heart sink when Lord Cale looked at her, with pure brown pupilless eyes, and repeated his statement. "I said, 'What's going on, Alexandra?' That is your name, isn't it?" She swallowed, and nodded, knowing that she had been found out. She felt helpless at that moment, especially as he made his next statement. "This explains a lot of things, including how Graylon knew about the identity of the corpse. None of the students had been told that information. I think as of right now, you better hand over your cell phone. I'll have someone escort you to your dorm room, as well as any other place you need to go, until we have this sorted out."

Alex lowered her head in shame, and handed over her phone. She knew what was coming. Her secret had been discovered, and in turn, Graylon's secret had been discovered as well. The secret of his success as a reporter was her ability. She then left the room, and headed back to her dorm room, unaware of whomever might be guarding her at the moment. All she could think about was what might happen to her, now that she was discovered.

* * *

Authors Notes

* * *

To those of you who have been following X-Knights, I still have more planned. This chapter hints to some big changes that will impact future chapters.

The identity of the corpse is finally revealed. As for the sucker bets mentioned, the occured in Story 4: Stranger and Stranger and Story 14: Iron X of the Cale Storyline.

As you may have seen, the identity of Alex has been revealed. Tasha spying on her started back in Chapter 17.

Jonothan Starsmore and Paige Guthrie were first seen in X-Knights Chapter 3, and then had their first POV in Chapter 16. This is their first chapter at the school.

Sean Cassidy first arrived in Chapter 9 of X-Knights. During the time between the Cale Storyline and X-Knights, he set up the same group in Marvel's storyline, minus the Gen X girls.

Davis's criminal past is mentioned in Story 6: Catch A Sound Wave, Story 9: Tradition, and Story 15: Destiny of the Cale Storyline. After the manipulation of Apocalypse was revealed, his sentance was reduced, and to make up for what he did, he started helping Godiva, before coming to England.

Tasha, Kiana, Graylon, Asira are all characters created by Mike N.

Chapter End


	20. Surprise, Surprise

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 20: Surprise, Surprise

--

I. Alexandra

--

Alexandra silently sat in her room, and thought about the situation she was in. It was one she had dreaded since her powers developed, but since she started working with Graylon Walsh, she feared it would happen. Her fear was that her powers would be discovered by someone she was spying on. What made it worse was that she had to go undercover, and use her powers more to hear from Graylon.

Thinking about Graylon made her think about how she first met him, and her powers first manifestation. Graylon had come to her school investigating a claim where a group of rich kids were getting away with things. He had started looking into various things, and she knew he had been getting close to something. She heard he was even planning a live broadcast, and before that, she approached him.

Prior to it, she had overheard some of the boys planning something humiliating for her. She had been a beautiful girl, but she was also smart, and wanted nothing to do with them. That day, she heard them planning to do something to her, and then ruin her reputation at school. While she told Graylon about that, she heard the one boy's father trying to intimidate Graylon's boss. When the time came to do his broadcast, he addressed his boss about it, live on the air. His boss had been so shocked that he admitted the intimidation had happened, and he was glad Graylon brought it to light.

After that, she started working for Walsh, using her powers to bring some big secrets to light. She had discovered some of the manhunts that Scotland Yard was on, which in turn sped up the apprehension of the subject. She also help reveal some of the scandalous things the nobles were doing. Then she was asked to keep her ears on the Cale family. With Lord Cale being advisor to the crown, Graylon was sure of big secrets being kept. However, until the school opened up, they started really showing up.

The recent events and discoveries were what lead to her predicament. When the corpse had shown up, she had overheard the teachers talking, which included the name. She let Graylon know, and then after he showed up, and apparently said the name, they came inside. Before too long, she caught the name of the one teacher, and remember the past of the character, especially as the one X-Man mentioned it. She was quick to go off and notify Graylon, and was caught.

As she thought of that, she heard Graylon talking to her, from where ever he was. "Alex, I'm going to be at the school soon. Apparently Lord Cale wants to talk about the corpse, and I'm going to bring up Skinur. I bet he can't get himself out of this one. Try to let me know what he's up to. I'm betting he's been trying to keep things under wraps, especially with those two others arriving. By the way, why haven't you let me know who they are?" As the statement ended, she heard a knock on the door. With that knock, she could tell her fate was about to be decided, and the knock sounded like a death march. She got up, and headed over to the door, to find out who was sending her to her fate.

--

II. Jubilation

--

Jubilation Thomas was about to knock on the dorm room door again, when it opened, revealing the girl they had known as Samantha Cain. She looked at the girl, and she could see that the fact that her fate at the school being uncertain was bothering her. She just motioned to walk along side of her, and the girl quietly obeyed. She could understand, in part, what the girl was going through, since her days at a mallrat, and then hiding out in the one X-Men base, but she had never been a spy.

As they started down the steps, she heard the girl speak for the first time since her spying had been discovered. "What's going to happen to me?" She glanced at the girl, and something in the tone told her that there was a lot of things going on in her mind.

Jubilation slowed her pace down, and watched as the girl did the same. She sighed, and then decided to answer as best she could. "It all depends. Richard does tend to stay level headed, unless it's an extreme situation. However, he does believe in second chances. It also depends on what he's learned about you."

She watched as a puzzled look crossed the girl's face. "What do you mean by that? Is he telepathic, or is the proper term a psi-mutant?"

Jubilation smiled, and then shook her head. "I wouldn't say that." She then leaned her head back, letting her black hair flow a bit behind her. Since her days with Generation X, she had let it grow a little past shoulder length. Everett had really liked it when she did that, and she decided to leave it that way. "Richard's main power has been full mimicry of sorts. If a mutant gets too close to him, he takes on their powers, memories, and even personality. However, if he gets too close, he takes those things on, but maintains his personality."

She watched as a frightened look crossed the girl's face. "You mean, he got into my mind? He knows everything about me?"

Jubilation put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "No. He'd have to spend a lot of time with you to do that, and ever since the days in school, he's learned to control the range of his power. Most times now, he keeps a tight reign on them. It helps him maintain his own personality. Let me put it this way, what if you walked up to a person, and just by doing that, you forced your memories into their mind."

In that moment, she saw a look of understanding cross the girl's face. Before the girl said anything, she answered the most likely question. "Right, it's not a pleasant thing, especially if the powerful memories are traumatic. However, it gives him insight to what kind of person you are."

She paused for a moment, as she felt a wave a nausea go through her. She had been feeling like this for a few days now, and something made her think that something wasn't right with her health. It was possible this was an illness, but there was another possibility that she needed a doctor in town for. During that moment, the young lady they had all known as Samantha Cain spoke. "So, he'd know if my underlying motive was just to show the truth?"

She nodded, and noticed they were getting closer to Richard Cale's office. However, they were heading to the room right next to it. As they entered that room, she answered the girl's question. "Indeed, but I'll tell you something. Sometimes, the secrets we keep are kept secret for a reason." As she said that, her mind raced, remembering all the secrets that had been exposed. There had been so many, including Monet's brother being Emplate, the fact that Richard's uncle turned out to be the head of Zero Tolerance, as well as the past of Darrett Thomas. She also then thought about the secret she might need to engage in, until at least she spoke with Yvette Cale about the local doctors. With those thoughts running through her head, she closed the door to the room, and sat down next to the girl, and waited patiently for the moment she would no longer be escorting the girl.

--

III. Graylon

--

Graylon Walsh pulled into the Cale Institute ground, surprised that he was being asked back, especially after the incident the previous day. However, with the information Alex had told him after that, he felt like he finally could expose the dirty little secrets that Lord Cale was hiding. He had a feeling that the advisor to the crown had some sort of secret motives. Of course, he was sure that a mutant school was one of those. He didn't understand why Lord Cale had waited so long, unless it was a plan to look like he wasn't planning to set up a group of mutant heroes, like the X-Men.

Things started to look like they were going his direction when shortly after an incident at the school, he had heard about Lady Cale's father being the leader of the almost militant X-Corps. He had heard the group had been destroyed, and that the leader had his throat slashed, but never learned how the man had gotten the best treatment. He heard of some Interpol connections, but he didn't think they were the reason.

As he got out of his car, and headed towards the door, he thought of the task Alex was doing, exposing the school from the inside. She had been the one to tip him off about the incidents at the mall, the protest on the lawn, and the apparent attack inside the school. Deep down, he was glad for the protest, since he wasn't a fan of the Knights of Humanity. He thought they were involved, especially since he had found out that a store that Lady Cale dealt with on an exclusive basis, was one of the ones trashed. The woman there would not admit it, but he was sure she was trying to protect Lady Cale.

When he reached the door, he was surprised to see a blonde lady on the other side. From what he had gathered, none of the women at the school were blonde, unless this was one of the two people who had fingered the one person as a criminal. Before he could even say his name, the woman spoke with what he could be sure was a lovely Southern U.S. drawl. "You've been expect, Mr. Walsh. Come with me, and Ah shall escort you to Lord Cale's office."

He nodded, and started following the lady. As they walked, he studied her for a moment, trying to recall where he might have seen her before. As they moved through the halls of the school, it suddenly hit him who she was. "Aren't you one of the X-Men? If I remember right, you look to be the one known as Husk." He noticed she nodded, but didn't verbally answer. That was fine by him, since it only gave him more fuel. The X-Men, started in America, was done as a school as well, but only a select few became part of the X-Men. While they were heroes, one had to wonder why they would have to be trained to fight.

Soon, he noticed the lady had stopped, and motioned to a door. "Lord Cale is in there. He's waiting for you." He nodded and started to open the door. As he did, she started walking away, but she made a statement that seemed odd. "Ah'm sure you are going to be very surprised." Something about that statement worried him, but he was sure that what ever was said, he could spin it to make himself look good.

When he fully entered the office, he closed the door, and looked over at the desk. He could see Lord Cale looking over a folder, which he was sure was something related to a student. That was even better for him, since when he would mention the criminal he knew that was here, it would catch Cale off guard. With out looking up, Lord Cale motioned towards a chair opposite his desk. "Please have a seat, Mr. Walsh, we have a good deal to talk about."

Graylon walked over to the chair, but he didn't sit down. He was going to maintain control of this situation. As long as he didn't sit down, he wouldn't turn control of the interview over to Lord Cale. "Indeed we do, Lord Cale. I would like to know more about the corpse found on your ground, as well as you connection to Sean Cassidy. However, the big thing I want to talk to you about is the criminal you have here. I'm sure you are already aware of who I'm talking about."

He watched as Lord Cale looked up, and nodded. The look on his face was stone cold, but Graylon could see that he must have anticipated what was going to happen. "I am aware of the criminal here, and I'm sure she'll have a stake in this meeting as well." Graylon nodded, but then he ran through the statement in his mind. Lord Cale didn't say 'he'll', but 'she'll'.

Before he could remark, he saw Cale push a button, that had to be an intercom, and say, "Let her in." He then turned to see a door open, and Graylon was shocked when he saw entering through the door was not the man he had pegged as Davis Skinur, but his own assistant, Alexandra McNeal. He then looked at Lord Cale, and saw the man had a slight smile on his face. Right then, and there, Graylon knew he had lost control of how this was going to go, since he also realized that the reason he never heard back from Alexandra was that she had been discovered.

--

IV. Richard

--

Lord Richard Cale Jr sat calmly at his desk, watching as Graylon realized that his spy had been discovered. He took a little joy in the situation, however, he didn't dwell on it. When he had discovered who the girl known as Samantha Cain really was, his powers also let him find out why she did what she did. Her powers had allowed her to stop a great wrong that was happening, and one that would have victimized her. He couldn't fault her from stopping that.

He also couldn't fully fault Graylon for his actions. The higher society did have a tendency to try and hide their shames, which included wicked things. He could understand why the press hounded them, but watchdogs like Walsh tried to find evil in every person.

When Graylon turned to look at him, he could still see some shock on his face, and that told Richard he now had the reporter's full attention. "I see you recognize Alexandra McNeal. I have to admit that at first I didn't realize she was a spy. In fact, it wasn't until yesterday, when you said the name of the corpse, and her own actions after a little incident that I put two and two together." He then looked at Alexandra, and calmly said, "Believe it or not, this is why mutants need to train their powers. Some times, their good intentions cause more problems."

He looked back at Graylon, who appeared to be putting on a strong face. "So you found out who my spy is. That's not going to stop me from telling the country about the murderer you have as a teacher. I looked into the background of that teacher, Davis Skinur. I know you even testified against him and put him away."

Richard stood up, but remained calm. "Did you also read where his actions were later found out to be controlled by the mutant known as Apocalypse?" When Graylon looked dumbfounded, he continued. "Did your research also discover that his sentence was reduced due to that fact, and he has returned to his normal self? I'm guessing it didn't. I do him a favour by not bringing up his past."

Graylon stood silent, and Richard could tell that he had shattered Graylon's scoop. He then walked closer to the reporter, controlling the range of his own mutant mimicry powers, and said, "Now, I'm offering you a chance to do your spy a favour. You are aware that MI5, Scotland Yard, and various others are looking for the source of all their leaks. They all don't like having information leaked out, even though it did help them. The simple fact is that they are the most secure organization in England, and a breach of security is a serious issue."

He wasn't surprised when Graylon turned to face him, and he saw a bit of anger in his eyes. "What are you proposing, Cale?" He wasn't sure if Graylon was aware of it, but in that brief moment of anger, he saw a slight bit of blue in the pupils of the reporter's eyes.

Richard looked square into Graylon's eyes, and said, "Personally, I don't want to send your associate to be prosecuted as a threat against the King. I'd rather she learn to control her powers, so she doesn't make the situation worse. I also don't want to see you go to jail to protect your source. I'm giving you the opportunity to help her, and even yourself. All I ask in return is you leave the staff, students and our families alone."

As the words sunk in, he saw Graylon calming down. He could see that Walsh was actually concerned for the girl's welfare. In a moment, Graylon turned to face him, and there was a calm look on his face. "I take it that also means the family of Angelo Espanosa. Tell me, why did you want to keep his discovery hush hush? Answer that, and I have no problems what so ever. I'll still agree, but I just want to know."

Richard could tell Graylon was being honest. In that brief moment, he had extended his own powers, and picked up a bit on who Graylon was. He nodded, and just said, "Simply put, before we ever met Angelo, Angelo had appeared to die in a gang related incident. Since that day, his family believed him dead, and he wanted it to be kept that way. He didn't want them thinking he was a monster."

He watched as Graylon nodded, and then turned to Alexandra. "I'm beginning to think this place isn't the problem I thought it would be. Alex, I want you to remain here, and learn how to control you abilities more. I'll even let your family know."

Richard placed his hand on Walsh's shoulder, and calmly said, "You're welcome to stop in as well." He saw Graylon look at him with a puzzled look, and he held up his other hand, which he now had surrounded in an electric blue aura. "I know about your powers. I think you thought you had caused the problem yesterday, but it was my doing. If you really fear it, you are welcome to come and learn. I'll even offer you the chance to teach, if you want."

He was relieved when Graylon nodded. "I think that's fair." They then shook hands, and he watched as Graylon left the office. He also noticed a relieved look on Alexandra's face, which was similar to Walsh's. He wondered how long they had worked together, but put that out of his mind as he summoned Clarice to escort her back to the girl's dorm, as well as mentally informed the two bodyguards to notified two student to come to his office.

--

V. Clarice

--

Clarice Furgeson-Thomas escorted the girl that she had known as Samantha Cain out of the office, and back towards the girl's dorm. As they walked, she could see the girl was happy. She knew why, since they had all discussed the options of what could happen. As they neared the girl's dorm area, Clarice finally spoke. "He gave you a second chance. We all figured that might happen."

She noticed the girl turned to face her with a surprised look on her face. "You knew he wasn't going to send me away?" Clarice shook her head, and the look was replaced by one of puzzlement. "I'm confused. You mean I might have been sent away?"

Clarice nodded, and started up to the girl's meeting area. "It was possible. Richard explained about how you were wanted. We all discussed the possible options, weighing the pros and cons. In then end, it was decided that the final option would be up to Graylon."

As they entered the room, she wasn't surprised to see no one in there. Some were still in their special Friday classes, but she knew they would be returning soon. As they went over to two chairs, she heard the girl speak very nervously. "You mean if Graylon choose to, he could have had me sent to jail?"

She motioned for her to sit, and then Clarice did the same, answering the girl's question. "Honestly, I doubt he would have. Reporters have a long history of protecting their sources. He would never have let you go to jail. However, things are not going to be easy for you. You are going to have to prove yourself to them, since they now know you had been spying. At that will be toughest with Tasha Lewis."

Even after saying it, she thought about the African girl, and how, after the kind of life she had live, it would be hard to trust some one like Samantha, or as the file she had seen said, Alexandra. Thinking of that, she turned to the girl again. "They are also going to have to get used to your real name."

She heard the girl sigh. "It will feel good to hear it again. I don't have to worry about letting it slip out. I never really wanted to go undercover, but Graylon felt it was best, since Lord Cale was constantly looking for bugs. I think Graylon was afraid that Lord Cale would find a way to prove a bug was here." Clarice chuckled at that, but remembered the stories of tricks pulled on Angelo.

Thinking about Angelo almost made her cry, but before she could feel bad, she heard the girls in the hall. She looked over at the door, and called out to them. "I want all of you in the lounge right now."

As they all entered, Clarice wasn't surprised to see that Tasha Lewis, the African girl, was the first to notice the girl sitting there. It had been her that told them she was a spy. She stopped right in the door, and glanced right at the girl. "What's she still doing here?"

When the other girls remained at the door, Clarice stood up, and gave them a stern look. "She is remaining here, as a student. It's either this, or she ends up in prison for life, and both Graylon and Richard didn't want that to happen to her. She also wants to use her power for good. It's is part of why schools like this are developed. I do hope you ladies can give her a second chance."

She was surprised when the one to step forward was the Asian, and non-mutant, girl, Kiana Asahara. She stepped forward and shook the girl's hand. "If Lord Cale can find it in his heart to give you a second chance, than I shall do the same." Clarice was glad when all the girl's did the same.

Just as Tasha stepped up, Clarice looked at all the others and said, "I'm glad you all did that, and allow me to introduce you to Alexandra McNeal. Treat her with the same respect you treat your other teammates with." She then pulled Tasha aside, and quietly said, "Tasha, Lord Cale wants to see you in his office. Why don't you head down there?" She saw a puzzled look on the girl's face, but she did as she was told. Clarice then watched as the girls got to know the real Alexandra McNeal, and hoped that no one would feel differently about her.

--

VI. Kevin

--

Kevin Mitchel was still in shock as he walked through the halls towards Lord Cale's office. With all the events of the past week, which included the attack on the weekend, the discovery of the corpse, and then that the new girl, Samantha Cain, was a spy, he was afraid his parents wanted him to come home. Deep down, he knew it must be either that, or that Amy Johnson, the girl he cared about very deeply, was going home.

As he approached the office, he started to worry more, especially when he saw Tasha Lewis coming up along side of him. He knew a bit about Tasha's home life, since it was part of why she was at the school. If the school closed, she would have to return to her parents, and that was a fate worse than death. He was also aware of her psychic abilities, so he wasn't surprised when she looked at him, and with a slight panicked look in her eyes, said, "Please don't think that is why we are coming here. If that was the case, he would have called all of us down."

He thought about it for a moment, and realized she was right. Lord Cale would have called everyone to the office. However, it didn't put his mind at ease. It could be that they were in some sort of trouble because of the whole incident at the mall, but that didn't make any sense since Tasha wasn't there.

He was so worried, he didn't notice when Lord Cale had opened the office door. "Kevin, Tasha, I'm glad you're here. Please come in." He followed Tasha in to the room, and moved to sit in one of the chairs in the room. He turned to look at Lord Cale when his teacher closed the door, and walked to the desk.

As Lord Cale reached the desk, Kevin was surprised to hear what Tasha said. "Does this have anything to do with the spy staying with us?"

Her statement caught him off guard, and he looked at Lord Cale. "That girl is still staying with us?!"

He was stunned when Lord Cale nodded, and then answered the questions. "Yes, she is. If she didn't, she would have been imprisoned, and what she needs is to learn to control her powers properly. That is the nature of this school. However, why I called for you two is a different reason. I'm sure you are both aware that our first few weeks have not been easy. We have come under attacks, and while I did not want you to be fighters, you have had to."

Kevin could understand why Lord Cale thought that way, but he also understood the need to defend themselves. They had to look out for one another, which is what he did at the mall. He felt a bit proud that he had done what he did. However, he didn't dwell on it too long. He put it out of his mind and faced Lord Cale. "Sir, I know you didn't want us to be fighters, but you have to feel good that we can do it when the need arises."

He watched as his teacher nodded. "You are right, but there is one thing that will be needed, and that will be team leaders, which is why I selected both of you to be team leaders." In that moment, Kevin was truly at a loss for words, since the whole time coming to the office, he expected the worst, and this was far from it.

--

VII. Tasha

--

Tasha Lewis felt as stunned as Kevin Mitchel looked. After seeing the spy was still at the school, she didn't think anything could surprise her more than that. However, that bit of news hit her like a bombshell. She was so dumbfounded that the only thing she could say was, "Why us?"

She wasn't surprised when Lord Cale looked at Kevin, and gave his reason for picking him. "Well, in Kevin's case, he's shown insight, a bit of inquisitiveness in searching out thing about our past." When those last words were said, she could see that Kevin was proud, especially as a big smile crossed his face.

It was the next words that surprised her even more. "As for why you, Tasha, you have qualities that make you a good leader. Like Kevin, you've shown deductive reasoning, discovered there was a spy here, and located them. To be honest, I had never thought about remote hearing as the way things were found out. You knew when to take risks, by using your powers to guide the others in helping with the 'Ripper' attack. You also have the ambition to prove yourself, given the image your parents have managed to give others about you."

She lowered her head, and softly spoke. "I don't deserve this, sir. You should make Amy the other team leader. She and Kevin work well together." After hearing what her teacher had said, she did feel like she didn't deserve the honor of being team leader. Besides, it might put her at risk of losing her sanctuary status at the school.

She didn't hear him move, but she realize he had moved when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "There are other reasons why I chose the team leaders like I did. I picked you because, of all the girls, you were the best. Anne's power could lead to difficulties, and she does seem to focus on her science-fiction books. That isn't a bad thing, but at her age, it can colour your thinking. Kiana isn't a mutant, so I can't put her in charge. And with Kevin leading the guys, I didn't want to put Amy in the same position. There could be some problems in who to help first in case of trouble. However, you're powers are over all the best reason for you to lead. Not only can you keep in touch with others, you can communicate ideas quickly."

Hearing all those reasons boosted her self-esteem, but she was still unsure about it. Before she could say anything more, she felt another hand on her shoulder, and saw it was Kevin. "He's right, Tasha. You could be a great team leader. Besides, I bet if we had disguises, you wouldn't have to worry about being discovered."

She thought about that for a moment. It would be good to be able to leave the ground and not worry about being found out. The more she thought about the idea, the more she realized that she wasn't the only one thinking about it. She was picking up on the thoughts of Lord Cale. She glanced over at him, and she could tell that he knew she picked up on his thought. Before she could even say anything, he just smiled. "Yes, everyone is getting an outfit. Besides, you aren't the only one who would draw attention. Imagine what would happen if someone found out that the Prince was fighting crime."

She smirked when she heard Lord Cale say that. It was a funny thought, but if Lord Cale was allowing the spy to remain, it might also mean that Graylon Walsh might be leaving the school alone. However, that didn't mean they would be out of the woods. It could even help if they ever had to deal with her parents. Part of her even wondered what her parents might be up to, and realized that what ever it might be. it would be bad.

--

VIII. Henry

--

Henry Meier sat behind the desk in his office at the Knights of Humanity headquarters. He wasn't alone in his office, since the Lewis's were in there with him. He knew they were upset at the way things went at Lord Cale's school, but he did have a back up plan. It was one he wanted to set in motion when news crew would have arrived when the mutants were supposed to attack. However, when the mutants never came out, and the police had shown up first, his plans were halted. Now, after hearing that something happened at one mall, and that a corpse had been left on the school lawn, he had another opportunity.

He started to reach for the phone, when he heard Mr. Lewis say, "So what's the plan now? How are we going to rescue our daughter?" Henry could detect something in the man's voice, but he wasn't sure what it was. What he was certain of was that the man who was talking was hiding something from him.

He put his hand on the receiver and looked at the man. "It's simple, Mr. Lewis." He never liked using first names with the members, and preferred code names when they went into a situation. "I'm going to contact the press, and notify them of your daughter's abduction. I had hoped to do that when they attacked at the school, which I'm sure didn't happen because they weren't there."

He watched as Mrs. Lewis leaned forward as he started to dial. "Why didn't you do that before?" It was obvious to him that she didn't understand the little things of staging the protest. If he hadn't started dialing, he would have taken the time to explain the situation.

As the phone rang, he thought of how delicate the situation was. Lord Cale had somehow gotten into a position to brainwash the King in to thinking mutants were good. He then planted the idea of a mutant school in to the head of the monarch. He always wondered how a mutant had conned their way in to such a high position, and one that gave him so much power. Henry knew that the King wasn't making his own decisions. He came out of his thoughts when the phone was finally answered. _"Graylon Walsh speaking. What's the scoop?"_

Henry smiled at the Lewis's and calmly spoke to the reporter. "Hello Mr. Walsh. I would like to inform you of a crime committed by a Lord. It appears that Lord Cale has abducted a young human girl, claiming she's a mutant."

He heard the reporter make a sound like he was clearing his throat. _"That is a serious accusation. Why not go to the police with it?"_ Before he could come up with an answer to the question, the reporter just continued. _"Let me guess, you don't think the police will by it. What might the kid's name be?"_

He sat back, feeling completely relaxed, knowing his plan was working. "Her name is Tasha Lewis. She was abducted from her loving parents, under the heinous claim that she is a mutant."

He was stunned when a laugh came over the phone. It wasn't the response he was expecting, since he was aware of how Walsh had been targeting Lord Cale in all his news broadcasts. However, what surprised him was the reporters next statements. _"Tasha Lewis. I remember doing a story about her. She won a spelling bee a few years ago, until someone called fowl, claiming she cheated. It turned out the claim was unfounded, and she kept her prize. From what I found out, it was a bright spot in a tarnished life. No one even mentions it. And before you even say anything else, it was her own parents that cried foul, who didn't even show up until the last day of the spelling bee."_

With those last words, he heard the phone hang up. He glanced over at the Lewis's, who had heard the phone call as well. He could see a bit of shock on their faces, which told him that they had been hiding something all this time. He sat back in his chair, and gave them a stern look, one that told them they better talk or the consequences would be dire. "I'll give you both one chance to tell me the truth." Before he could even finish, they were blurting out their story, how they were going to exploit her, and then kill her, or dispose of her in some way. How they had made her seem a dredge of society, which in his mind they didn't need to do since she wasn't a human being. As he listened, he started to form another plan, but it would take time to implement it, and they had some.

--

IX. Yvette

--

Lady Yvette Cale entered the private room of her and her husband's, followed only by Grimore, the mystical cat that was part of the Cale family. Her reason for entering the room now was because of a question she was asked earlier by her friend, Jubilation. However, from time to time, Yvette still thought of Jubilation as a sister, even though they weren't related. As she closed the door to the room, she heard Grimore speak, as the feline jumped onto the bed. "Getting ready for some phone calls?"

She walked over to the desk, just at the moment the phone started to ring. She looked at Grimore, not surprised that the cat was aware the phone would ring. "Only one. Jubilation asked about my doctor, and I set up a discrete appointment. She's probably calling to let me know the results." She picked up the private phone, and answered. "Lady Cale speaking."

She wasn't surprised when she heard Jubilation on the other end. _"Penny, it's me. Your doctor is amazing, and she confirmed it."_ Even though she didn't see it, Yvette could see and hear the smile in her friend's voice. It also explained the current changes in Jubilation's actions during the past week.

She smiled, knowing that Jubilation couldn't see it. "You are excited about this. You don't call me Penny that much anymore, 'sis'. Do you want me to tell the others?"

She wasn't surprised when her friend answered. _"No. I want to tell Ev first. We can tell everyone tomorrow at dinner. I should be back in a little while. Until then, keep this our secret."_

Yvette nodded, although she was sure Grimore figured it out. "Not a problem. Trust me, it's an experience you'll love, even through the rough times. Just be careful getting back." She then hung up the phone, and looked at the cat. "Well, that's the call. We better get back to the others."

She got up, and started to head for the door, but the cat remained on the bed. She turned to look at him, and saw the cat was just looking at the phone. As he did that, something started to worry her. Grimore knew another phone call was coming, and was silently tell her that it wasn't over. She wasn't sure who else would call, unless it was Jean Leveque, the French ambassador secretly known as the mutant Canon. Of course, since there encounter back in their Generation X days, Canon had been shutting down his more illegal ventures.

Almost as if her thoughts triggered it, the phone rang again. She walked over to the desk again, not sitting down this time, and answered the phone. "Hello, Lady Cale speaking."

It was just as she suspected when she heard the charismatic voice of the French Ambassador. _"Yvette, it is Jean Leveque. I do hope Eloise is fitting in well there."_ It was almost uncanny that he called at this time, but there was no way of him knowing about Jubiliation's situation.

She sat down for a moment, and told him. "She is getting along well. One of the other teachers here is helping her learn some English, and is helping communicate since she is fluent in French. She is also the daughter of an Ambassador." Yvette decided not to mention the death of that Ambassador, since she didn't want to hint at it.

She heard some happiness in Jean's voice. _"That is good. I plan to stop by there sometime in the next week. I may even let Eloise stay there, while I shut down a few more Asylum Seven operations. I hate to say that some bits of that organization are still operating, albeit independent of what I wanted. Knowing Eloise is still with us has change me more for the better than the past five years have."_

Yvette was glad for that, and then remembered how some of the people reacted to the last time they encountered each other. "Jean, I do want you to know that some of the Generation X members are helping with the school here. They may not have fully forgiven you for the events in Japan."

She heard a sound of acknowledgment in his voice. _"I understand and except that. It's will be hard for my bodyguard to accept it as well. I'm sure you have heard of Equilibrium, however, he as decided Rage would be better as a code name."_

She remembered hearing about the bruiser, and how Clarice had teleported him far away, and stranding him where ever it was. "Indeed. I do hope he doesn't cause a fight, especially with our one bodyguard. I will let the others know that you plan to arrive, and if we can, we can keep it discrete. I'll let you get back to your tasks, since I need to get back to mine. Take care, Jean." She then hung up the phone, and started towards the door.

She was almost to the door, when she noticed Grimore was still perched on the bed. She turned to look at him, and she heard him make another of his typical cryptic remarks. "There is one more surprise coming." Before she could even ask, the phone rang again. He just smiled, and in that moment, she felt her body fill with unease. Knowing that the Ambassador planned to arrive made her mind race to another conclusion. Even though Canon was giving up his evil ways, there was probably still two people who believed he was up to something. The same two people that Richard had rewarded by letting them stay at apartments in the Paladin Technologies office buildings. She was aware they followed him, and feared that the call was one of them. She thought of what might happen if they came to the school at the same time, and was scared as she picked up the phone.

--

X. Balam

--

Balam was thankful when she heard someone pick up the phone. She even smiled when she heard the voice of Lady Yvette Cale speak. _"Lady Cale speaking."_ She did notice a bit of nervousness in the voice, like she was expecting some bad news.

Balam smiled and then spoke, hoping to calm their benefactor's nerves. "Yvette, it's Ixbalamque. I know it's been a long time since we spoke, and Kevin and I are still grateful for allowing us to stay at the apartments in your husband's company. However..." She wasn't entirely sure how to complete the next statement.

She glanced over at Kevin Dallas, who was standing on a balcony overlooking Rome, which gave a good view of Vatican City. He had left the door open as he smoked a cigarette. Over the years, he still smoked, but his hairline had slightly receded. She wondered if it was more stress than genetic, but never pushed it. The stress was caused by one man, and Kevin's attempts to put an end to his evil. However, with out turning to face her, he just said, "Just tell her that we got a tip that Canon is heading to England."

She returned to her call, and said, "We just got a tip that Canon is heading to England. We called the branch in London, and they said they have no apartments there, since the Cale's stay in their ancestral home. I was hoping we could stay there. Kevin's been trying to stop Canon, and the past few years, someone has been destroying all of Canon's operations, or they are being shut down by him. Kevin thinks something big is up."

Again, Balam heard some surprise in Yvette's voice. _"I see. Well, when you do arrive, it will be to a school. We have turned our home into a school for mutants. That means Kevin will have to be on his best behavior."_ She understood what Yvette was hinting at. Kevin wasn't a crude person, but he was rough around the edges.

She sighed, and then said, "He will be. Odds are once we find out where Canon is, we will be out of there. It's odd, but almost every time we get close, one of Canon's bases is either shut down, or destroyed. We are hoping that this time, we'll catch him."

She then hung up the phone, and turned to Kevin. He had just come in from the balcony, and the look in his eyes said he wanted to know. After his latest death, his personality seemed to be in flux, like it wasn't sure what it should be. "We are able to go, but you have to be on your best behavior. They are running a school, and I think they are worried you'll be a negative influence."

She wasn't surprise when he made a sound of disgust. She felt her ears twitch as he said what she expected. "Canon's the real negative influence, and they are aware of that. Hopefully, they will be able to help us finally defeat Canon once and for all." She then watched as he walked into the apartment's bathroom and closed the door. She sighed, truly hoping that they were at the end of this road. Kevin had died a couple of times, each time his power reviving him. Before one of those prior deaths, he had briefly had a premonition, which foretold he would eventually die, and not come back. She hoped that this mad quest would end before it really did kill him.

--

Authors Notes

--

To those of you who have been following X-Knights, I still have more planned. This chapter sets up for some interesting events to happen in the upcoming chapters.

As you may have seen, the identity of Alex has been revealed. Her last name is a tribute to a friend, whose one character is in all his stories.

The past of Bastion, in this timeline, is that he was Richard Cale's uncle. This fact was first mentioned and revealed in Story 2: Truth Be Told, of the Cale Storyline.

Eloise shows up in the series at the end of Chapter 16: Overseas Developments. In the past two chapters, she is brought to the school.

Eloise, Balam, Canon, Equillibrium, and Kevin Dallas (aka Sequel) first debuted in Story 14: Iron X, of the Cale Storyline. A few of those facts have been cited throught out the X-Knights series.

The death of Monet's father, Ambassador Cartier St. Croix, happens in Story 13: Win Some, Lose Some of the Cale Storyline.

Tasha, Kiana, and Graylon are all characters created by Mike N.

One last note, I'm asking readers of X-Knights to also help with another story I'm working on. The next chapter of another story I'm working on has a small detail I need help deciding with on the ending of that chapter. I'm asking those who read X-Knights to help me decided how the ending of that chapter should play out.

Chapter End


	21. Flirting With Disaster

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 21: Flirting With Disaster

* * *

I. Kevin D.

* * *

Kevin Dallas stayed in his seat on the plane as it began it arrival at Heathrow Airport. He was staying calm, which was difficult as he thought about the jump he was finally getting on Canon. For the past five years, thanks in part to having places to stay at Paladin Technologies, he had been tracking down Canon, trying to finally catch him and end his villainy. However, shortly after the incident in Japan, he discovered he might not be the only one waging a war on Canon. Someone else was shutting down all of the villain's operations. While he was never able to meet up with this ally, he did have to deal with those of Canon's minions that were still around.

When the plane finally stopped, he was broken out of his musing, especially when he looked at Christina Laine, and noticed she seemed tense. Something was bothering her more than the confrontation he knew was coming. Her ears were perked up, like she was alerted that something bad was in the area. He looked around for a brief moment, not knowing if attention was drawn to her, or not. He had been with her so long, he ceased to notice how everyone looked at her, since cat ears and a tail usually drew attention. Before they got up, he quietly said, "What's wrong? You seemed a bit tense there."

As they started to leave the plane, she started to relax and he felt better when she spoke. "Someone on the plane stank like they were many different creatures all at once. Some of those scents were familiar, and I'll tell you this. They aren't nice creatures." Just hearing those words made him worry a bit. Although Christina never spoke of her early years that much, he knew that part was growing up in the jungle, which meant she saw things that others never got to see.

He put that out of his mind, letting it return to the real reason they were there. He took a deep breath, and said, "Well, I don't think it's one of Canon's followers. We've been extra cautious to make sure he's not aware of our movements. And this time, we have a jump on him. He has no clue that we know he's making his way here to England. Plus, being allowed to stay at our friend's school will keep him from find us if he does find out we are waiting."

He heard her sigh for a moment, before she spoke. "I just hope this is finally the end. Tell you what, why don't you get the luggage together, I need to use the WC, as they call it here in England." He then watched as she headed over to the very place she had mentioned, noticing her tail swishing behind her. He always wondered if her cat-like looks were due to her mutant power, or something else entirely. If it was linked to the cat-like persona, it also made sense to her loyalty to him, however he didn't think it was because she loved him.

He then walked over to the baggage carousel, and watched for their suitcases, well her suitcase. She was the one who had a few extra clothes. He never fully understood why, since he could keep all his stuff in a special duffel bag. However, as he was watching for the baggage, he became distracted by a dark-skinned vision of perfection. He didn't remember seeing her on the plane, and he was upset that he had missed seeing her on the plane. However, he was sure that she had noticed him, especially as she sauntered up to him, with an almost seductive look in her eyes. However, it wasn't just her eyes that spoke to him. Her outfit also spoke to him, especially the low-cut blouse that gave him a very captivating view. He returned his gaze to her face, gave a wry smile, and said, "Good luck smuggling those things through customs."

He felt good when she smiled, giggled, and glanced down as she answered. "You might be right. they may search me, and I don't want that." She then looked at hime and continued her statement, "unless you're the customs officer. So what brings you to England?" Something in her words just made him melt inside, and he smiled back at her and answered.

* * *

II. Claudette

* * *

Claudette St. Croix was pleased that her powers still had the power she needed to do what she wanted. She had managed to sneak into Heathrow Airport, keep herself hidden from all, and was scanning for her new recruit. During that scan, she discover the man she was looking at now, and was using all her powers to make him spill his guts to her. Of course, she wasn't relying solely on her power, since she wasn't limited to the special suit she had to wear for the past few years. Now, she could rely on her figure.

In this case, it was working wonders, especially as the man finally spoke to her, "Not much, just trying to find someone who wronged me long ago." In part she understood that, but she was also wondering if it was the same people she had a vengeance for. She had found weeks ago that Lord Richard Cale, who long ago realized how big a danger she was, had taken in the man who cost her her powers for five long years.

She glanced at the man, and leaned forward for a moment, which she knew would distract him even more as she mentally probed his mind. "I bet he's someone high up, like a British Lord."

She was a bit surprised when he shook his head. "Nah, actually I owe Richard and Yvette big time, for giving us a place to stay." Instantly Claudette had a dislike for the guy, but she still had a use for information. Soon, she had him talking a bit about what had happened. "A few years back, I came closest to catching my adversary, in Japan, when he ending up trying to kidnap one of Richard's friends. From what I remember, Richard fought him, and my foe unfortunately escaped. Mind you, I don't remember all the details, since my fight didn't end in my favor."

There was something Claudette couldn't access about that whole event, and hoped a deep breath would distract the man long enough to make him spill the beans. "What happen, did you get knocked out for the rest of the fight?"

His next words caught her off guard. "Nope. I died." He said it so casually that it stunned her. She couldn't believe what he said, but she sensed it was the truth. She quickly stopped scanning his mind, but focused on her passive scan, and the real reason she was here. She did notice that the guy still was focused on her, which she was sure was due to the slightly low cut top she was wearing.

She passively listened as he said, "Sorry to scare you like that, but that's my mutant power. I resurrect every time I die, each time with a different secondary power." As he said that, she realized she would have to tell her brother about him. She was sure Marius would enjoy a meal like this guy. She then noticed him looking back towards the direction of the restrooms, and she saw a woman with cat ears and a tail coming from there. She had seen her walking away from the guy in the first place, and knew it was time to disappear.

She also noticed the person she was truly looking for. In a blink, she blocked herself from everyone's minds, as well the person she was looking for. The person she was looking for was dressed very nicely, however, his hair was oily black, and slick as well. She walked over to him, and he just looked at her, and in that look, she could see a distain for anything human. She watched as he glanced around the room for a moment, noticing that everyone seemed oblivious to them, and then he addressed her. "I take it you are Claudette."

She nodded, noticing the commanding tone in his voice, but she knew how to keep her minions in their place. "I am, and remember that I am in charge." She watched as he nodded, but noticed that he looked over at the girl with cat ears and a tail. She then firmly said, "You will come with me, since I'm sure Customs would take an extra long time with you." She glanced at his bag, and while he didn't look, she knew instantly what had put in there, and she knew she was right about them being noticed by customs. She even wondered how he had gotten them onto the plane in the first place. She then lead him out of Heathrow. "I'm sure you're going to enjoy the task I've set up for you. You and a few others of my colleagues will be part of an attack. At least those you control will be doing the attacking." She then started to tell him her plan, as they entered a waiting car, and it sped out to her base.

********************************

* * *

III. Kiana

* * *

Kiana Asahara held her own sword up as Lord Richard Cale swung his sword, causing the two to clang loudly. In that instant, she realized that she had done the right thing, and watched as he pulled back, and went to swing again. However as she raised her sword again, she noticed that he was pulling his left leg back, and with it, the rug she was standing on. Before she could move, she felt her feet go out from under her, causing her to fall back, and drop her own sword.

As her sword hit the floor, she saw Lord Richard Cale stop moving, and put his own sword down on a shelf. "Remember to always be aware of your surroundings. Surprises can come from anywhere. You can't be ready for every attack when it happens, but if you can be aware of where an attack might come from, you can minimize it's effects."

She got up, and frowned slightly. "I suppose that's where mind reading can help." She quickly closed her mouth, and shook her head, realizing what she had said. Her remark was anti-mutant, which wasn't good when she was staying with a bunch of mutants. She bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to say that."

She was surprised when he just smiled. "It is all right. Those mutants that have that power could use it to fight, but most likely in a defensive way. Think about it for a moment. If I read your mind, to know how you were going to strike, I would parry. However, if I read your mind, to know how you would counter, the only way I would know is when I am in mid-strike. Mind reading is a defensive tactic."

She did think about it for a moment, and his words made sense. She then picked up her sword, and placed it on the same shelf that Lord Cale had placed his. When she had done that, she noticed something else on that shelf. It looked like a fang of some sort, like from a big cat. She picked it up for a moment, and studied it. The more she looked at it, the more it looked like a fang from a big cat. "I hate to ask this, but what is this thing?"

Kiana watched as her mentor took the fang and placed it back on the shelf. He did answer the question. "That is a fang from the Black Beast of Exmoor. A few years ago, one was attacking a town, and they called in the Paladin to help. That particular cryptid is very cat like, almost panther like."

She blinked for a moment when she heard the odd word. She thought about it a moment, and then looked at him again, "You mean it's an animal of some sort?" When he nodded, she looked at the fang again. "I thought animals were just that, and not something we would worry about."

Before she could hear how he would reply to her statements about cryptids, she heard the door to the secret study open, and saw Monet St. Croix entering, and from the look on her face, she could see the woman was troubled. The African woman closed the door, saying, "I'm sorry for interrupting, but I needed to talk with you about..."

Kiana noticed that Richard smiled, and spoke, surprising her. "Not at all. We were just having a discussion on cryptids, and there seems to be some concern on the nature of them. Maybe you can explain about it a bit, given the family history." Kiana then looked at Monet, and was again made aware of how much Monet looked like the woman who her cousin had teamed up with, and she wondered how this would explain why the Cale's had to keep an eye on cryptids.

* * *

IV. Monet

* * *

Monet took a deep breath, especially as she felt on the spot with a very difficult issue to speak about. Deep down, she knew her family held a lot of dark secrets, and the fact that out of all her siblings, she was the good one didn't make things easier. She also wondered what this had to do with cryptids, which she did have a chance to study during her years working with Gabe. She glanced at Kiana, and calmly asked, "And what do you need explained, Kiana?"

She watched as the young girl didn't back down, which she had to admire, when the girl spoke. "We were talking about how some cryptids seem to be inherently evil, and other are just as nature intended, but if they are animals, that shouldn't be the case? Can animals be born good or evil, or is it learned as in people?"

Monet sighed, knowing this would somehow get steered towards her own relatives, which for many years, she tried to disavow any knowledge of. She paced for a moment, considering her answer long and hard. "I personally think that good and evil is in all creature, man and beast, and it is not always balanced out. All creatures can have the preference to do evil, like my brother and sister. However, there are the odd chances that one can be confused if they are good or evil."

She noticed a confused look on Kiana's face, but was glad when Richard chimed in. "There are many things that could be viewed as evil, but is in fact very neutral, or misinterpreted. Some devices which people have constructed for good, ended up being used for evil, and vice versa. It's hard to believe that nothing is innocent when it comes to being aligned to good and evil, but it's possible."

Monet then remembered one simple fact, and turned to face Kiana. "What about your own cousin, Kiana. Would you say she is evil, or confused, and was she always that way?"

She watched as the girl nodded, and then looked at her. "She was always mean." As the girl spoke, Monet could feel a sense of hatred coming from the girl. "Growing up, she always tormented me, and her evil escalated. The final straw was when she had one of the demons she controls kill my father." Monet understood all to well what Kiana felt, knowing that her own sister killed their own father.

Monet started to focus on sending out some calming thoughts, and she could see Kiana was starting to calm down. "Now you can understand that people, animals and cryptids, can be neutral, good or evil." She watched as the young lady nodded, obviously understanding their point.

When Kiana started to go back to looking over things, Monet remember why she had rushed down to the secret room in the first place. She looked at Richard and calmly spoke, "Richard, some of the students are using the training room with one of the games you had loaded in. I don't know if you want them in there yet."

She watched as Richard started to place his sword on a special sword rack in the room. She knew that over the years, Richard could summon the sword to his side in an instant, but wondered how well he used the power, if the room was locked. As he did that, she heard him respond to her news. "There is only one game I would not want them testing their skills in at the moment, mainly because it was being set as a test of when their powers would be a hindrance. Do you know which game it was?"

Monet thought about it for a moment, but could not remember the title. However, from the special viewing screen, she did remember one detail. "It was set in a museum similar to what Godiva has, if that's a help." In an instant she saw that he knew which title it was, and that it was the very one he didn't want them in yet. Before he could even move, she had glanced in his mind to know what he wanted. She turned to Kiana, and pointed to a shelf. "Kiana, grab those replicas over there. If I remember right, Richard had those specially made years ago, more or less as props for training. They may be handy where we are going." She watched as the girl did so, and then they both ran out of the room, following Richard to where the training room was.

* * *

V. Allan

* * *

Allan Arron was amazed at the capabilities of the training room. The first thing that amazed him when he had entered with Kevin Mitchel , Thomas Jacobs , and Anne Smith, was the fact that a core of it's simulations were pulled from various video games. This was good since it worked well with his powers, to shape shift into various characters from game. The second thing that impressed him was how obscure some of the titles were, which included the one that featured the museum they were in right now. It had been from a title that came out in the mid 1990's.

However, the most amazing thing was that in here, he would walk around in his normal form. Something about the mechanics in the room protected him from the harmful effects light had on his skin. This allowed him to walk through the fictitious museum devoted to strange things like a normal teenaged boy. Of course, the others had been surprised when he became the average sized blonde with hazel eyes. They were also surprised by the glasses he had to wear in that form. Other than that, they had to admit he was a good looking individual.

When they all stopped at one spot, which was a huge room with a mummy case, wax snake, and a music box featuring a spider, he remembered something about this title, that all this time he had forgotten. While still studying the music box, he just said, "Hey, I think I remember this title now. If I remember right, there are a bunch of supernatural creatures running around, but since we didn't have to deal with the puzzles, I'm guessing they aren't around."

He glanced over as Thomas walked close to the wax snake, but moved over to the mummy case instead, saying "You mean to say one could go through the game with out encountering the creatures. Doesn't sound like much fun."

He stepped away from the music box, and smiled. "It was a reward for beating the game. There aren't that many museums in the world that's devoted to the unusual." As he thought about, the only ones he could even think of were over in America.

He was a bit surprised when Anne spoke up, "Lord Cale's cousin owns one in America. I didn't get to see much of it, but it was a sight to see. This place is kind of like it, even with the weird statue making an odd sound."

The second he heard her mention the odd sound, his mind raced back to times he had played the old game. An odd sound usually preceded an attack by the creatures in the game. He looked at Anne, and shouted, "Move quick, something is going to attack soon." He watched as all of a sudden, she stepped into a haze that appeared next to her, only to appear next to a structure that looked like a lion. In that instant, something that looked like an oozing pile of wax with limbs came out of the snake, only to disappear back into the statue.

He then watched as Kevin rushed forward, and quickly touched the statue and the stand, turning them both in to metal. "Let's see that creature get out of the statue now that it's metal." In that moment, he heard the sound had changed, and he could tell Kevin realized it too. He quickly back stepped, only to stumble and start turning the floor to metal as well.

In that moment, another creature lunged out of the statue, looking like a living statue. This one was one he remembered from the game, since it had gotten the jump on him before in the game. As Kevin backed away, he quickly transformed into the creature, and noticed it appeared confused, and hoped that the confusion would buy the others some time to get out of the room.

* * *

VI. Thomas

* * *

Thomas looked at the scene, stunned at how passively his power worked sometimes. He had been about to look at the statue that the monster came out of, but at the last second didn't. However, he wasn't sure how his power would help in this situation. Anne had manage to 'step' away, and Kevin's own power just made the situation worse. He had to admit that Allen had a good idea to distract the creature, but it wasn't going to last long.

He also knew he had to help Kevin, and quickly ran over to him and started helping him up. "Come on, Kevin, we need to get out of here before my luck decides to stop."

He was glad when Kevin got up quickly. "You won't hear any argument from me, Thomas. Did I change the creature when I changed the statue?" To be honest, Thomas wasn't sure, but he wasn't eager to find out. All he knew was that this one didn't seem in a hurry to disappear, and had more area to move about, due to Kevin's actions.

As they backed away, he heard Allen say, "No. It's a different one with a similar attack pattern. Instead of wax objects, this one is bound to metal. We need to get out of this room, and fast." He then saw Allen shift formed, returning to his normal form, which could be out due to something in the training room. This ended up being a mistake, since the creature's attention was now drawn back to him, not out of confusion, but out of hunger.

He saw Anne had joined them, and said, "Well, what is that thing, and how do we stop it?"

When Thomas heard the next voice speak, he wasn't sure if his power was still working to help them or not. "According to the game, it is called an Ixupi, and the only way to capture it is with the vessel it is bound to." He glanced to behind Allen, and saw that Richard, Kiana, and Monet had all entered.

He looked over at Richard, and went to ask him if he had anything that could stop the creature, and saw his teacher hold up a ancient looking pot, with an animal like lid. Soon the creature roared, and started acting as if it was fighting a black hole. Soon the thing had been sucked in to the pot, and he could tell his teacher wasn't happy. Deep down, he was hoping to see something cheer up his teacher.

His luck held out again, as he saw Lord Cale, and the others focus their eyes on Allen, who were now seeing the shape-shifting mutant in his real form for the first time. It had been Kiana who finally spoke. "I didn't know you looked like that, Allen." He watched as a slight smile crossed the girl's face, and he realized she thought the shape-shifter looked cute.

The brief moment of shock soon passed when Lord Cale spoke, but his anger had cooled down a bit. "I must say that it is good that the technology in this room allows you to be in your normal form, Allen, but I must ask you all to leave. Once we are in the ante-room, I'll explain this a bit better, and you'll all realize why I did not want you to venture into this one yet."

He fell in line with the rest of his classmate, and headed for the exit that now appeared. As they walked, he noticed that Allen took on the form of a blue boy like robot. As they left, he noticed he was next to Anne, and he said to her, "Well, at least we finally got to see what Allen looks like."

He watched as she nodded, and then responded. "Yea, but I'm sure we are going to be punished for this." He nodded in agreement, but hoped the punishment wouldn't be too harsh. Personally, as they entered the ante-room, he had a feeling that discovering a way that Allen could appear normal would lighten whatever punishment they would get.

* * *

VII. Kevin M.

* * *

Kevin sighed when they all stood in the ante-room. Deep down, he had hoped they could just try walking around one of the areas loaded into one of the devices. They all knew the training area used areas from games from any of the devices, and the only times they had been in one was during a training session. No one had even thought that something would be set up to test their abilities.

He was still thinking about that when Richard finally spoke, "In part, I am a bit disappointed that you would go in there unsupervised. However, I will take part of the blame since the testing protocols were still on. That little scenario was designed, and based off, an old game, to test you on one aspect of your powers you may have to deal with."

Kevin looked at his teacher, and wondered about a thought that had crossed his mind as they stood there. "Sir, was that being designed to test us on not using our abilities?" When he saw Richard nod, he really felt bad about going in there. When he used his powers, he ended up setting them up for an attack and giving the attacker more room to work from.

He was startled when Monet St. Croix spoke. "It's been something we have been working on a bit this past week. All of the teachers were putting their thought in on how to test each one's talents in there. As you saw, Kevin, the nature of the creatures in that game sets up the danger in using your power."

He nodded when he realized what they were telling them. Of the four of them that had entered the room, it was his that was the most dangerous to use. He then looked over at Allan, when the boy, who now looked a famous video-game robot, spoke. "Was one set up for my power in there, one that allowed me to not use my power?" He nodded as the others noticed that as well.

He watched as Richard shook his head. "To be honest, no. I don't even think that scenario was even considered. With your condition, I'm surprised you can be in there and in your normal form. However, since the simulations work differently than reality, maybe the room blocked out all natural light, or what ever is in the light that hurts you." He then watched as Lord Cale looked at all of them, and said, "Since you are all fine, and we learned something of how that room will work with Allen, by the end of the week, I want a paper on how dangerous one's abilities can be if they are used as a weakness.

He nodded, like everyone else, and went to leave, but he felt a hand on his shoulder. As the others left, he glanced at his teacher, and realized there was more to his punishment. He realized it was also linked to his new role as team leader. "I know, I did something foolish, and took my team into a dangerous situation."

He was surprised when his teacher nodded, and said, "Indeed, and you realized it, and tried to protect them. A good leader tries to weigh up all the options, and in a moment, has to act as they see best to protect their team. Sometimes, we will make mistakes that cost us." He noticed a pained look go through his teacher's eye, and at the same time, Monet looked like she might cry for a moment, and then his teacher continued. "Being in a leadership position is not easy. I want you to include that in your paper, and really think about it."

Kevin nodded and then walked out of the room. As he headed back for his room, he wondered what cost Richard might have been referring to. Judging by the reaction from Monet, it had to be something that effected the both of them, and it made him want to find out more. However, at the same time he wanted to find out more, he was wondering if he did want to know the costs of being a leader, and if he might be ready for them.

***************************************

* * *

VIII. Everett

* * *

Everett Thomas was ready for the big dinner. With all the events that happened in the past week, they all needed this. Of course, as he walked with his beautiful wife, Jubilation, they both knew they had a big announcement to make known to all. So far, the only ones they had told were Richard and Yvette, and Darrett and Clarice. The former couple knew mainly since the doctor that Jubilation saw was Yvette's doctor. The later had been informed because of the unique bond that he and Darrett had. Even if one would think about it logically, the fact was that Darrett was Everett's son, from a future that never happened. It had been kept secret until the last few days of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters.

When they entered the main dining hall, he watched as both Clarice and Darrett Thomas-Ferguson came over. Both had smiles on their face, especially as Clarice put a hand on Jubilation's shoulder, and said, "Welcome to the club. It is going to be the longest ride of your life, but it's well worth it."

He then felt a hand on his shoulder, and saw that it was Darrett. He watched as the mutant master of summoning looked in his eyes. In that moment, Everett could see in Darrett's eyes a bit of himself. Darrett had obviously been thinking about this for a while. "Listen, I know it may be early to be thinking about this, but maybe when the time comes, you shouldn't tell them I'm their uncle."

Everett smiled, knowing just what Darrett was talking about. "I know. I bet they would just look at you and us and go 'Huh'. I know the same thought went through my mind when you told me." It was the honest truth. The past weekend, he was trying to figure out what to tell the others, but he was sure that Richard was going to say something at the dinner tonight.

This dinner was going to end up being a big celebration, especially as all the students started coming in. As they came in, he noticed that some of the students seemed to be coupling. The first he noticed was Kevin and Amy Johnson. That one was no big surprise, since they had known each other before the school was formed. The next one that didn't surprise him was Prince James and Tasha Lewis. He had noticed that the prince seemed infatuated with the psi-mutant, but this past week, those feelings must been made known.

What did surprise him was that Kiana was walking in and talking with Allen, who now appeared like and old Nintendo character. He wondered what had prompted the mystical student of Richard's to become interested with them. However, that coupling was not as surprising when he saw the teachers starting to enter. He did see it coming, but it was still a shock to see Davis Skinur and Monet St. Croix walking in together.

Soon, everyone else was coming into the room, and as they all sat down at the table, Jubilation quietly said to him, "Yvette just told me that Richard may ask you to announce our news to everyone. They both think it would be best if we say it."

As some of the new people there came in, including Jonothan Starsmore and Paige Guthrie, and the mysterious Eloise, who looked a lot like Yvette years ago, he nodded as he agreed with his wife. "Indeed. I can't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces when we tell them."

They then walked over to their seats, and sat down just as the food was brought in, and Richard and Yvette entered the room. Those who were bringing the food to the table quickly left, and Richard and Yvette walked over to their spots. Yvette sat down, but Richard remained standing. At that moment, he knew Richard was going to announce the big new, not only theirs, but about other things, since that was another reason for this meal. Everett decided to just sit back, until it was time to tell his news.

* * *

IX. Richard

* * *

Richard Cale Jr. waited until everyone was silent so he could tell the big news. Due to all the events of the past week, including the attack the previous weekend, a lot of things didn't get done. Of course, with all the things that had happened over the course of the week, some of those things would have needed to be redone.

Once everyone quieted down, he spoke. "This past week has been a very big week for the school, many good and bad things had happened. Instead of dwelling on those bad things, let us focus on the good things. One of those things is the arrival of three new faces to our halls. The most recent one being Eloise Leveque."

He watched as the redhead, who as he looked at her, reminded him of Yvette before she learned to control her powers, stood and greeted everyone. "Bon soir." Just as the young girl spoke, and looking at her, he could sense the same charisma that her father had.

He put that thought in the back of his mind as he continued. "Her father will be stopping by later this week, and he may decide to let her remain here. If you think he last name is familiar, that is because she is the daughter of the French Ambassador." He saw stunned looks come from all around, and then continued. "Also arriving this past week are Arron Allen," who stood up and appeared to look like Megaman, "and Alexandra McNeal." He watched as the young lady formerly known as Samantha stood up and nodded.

When she sat down, Richard continued, "With her officially enrolled under her real name, it marks the end of some problems, since Graylon Walsh has decided to lay off the bad publicity. He will even be helping out from time to time, as well as our new teachers here, Paige Guthrie and Jonothan Evans Starsmore. " He watched as his former Generation X teammates stood up and waved hello again to the students.

He then glanced over to where Everett and Jubilation were sitting and nodded as he said, "Now before we eat, I believe the Thomas's have a little announcement they need to make."

He watched as everyone glanced at the two, who then stood up, and Everett spoke as Jubilation started to blush. "We would like to announce that as of right now, we are expecting our first child." Richard smiled as cheers came from all around the table, especially from the little children. He knew it would be a while, but he noticed that his own children, Richard Cale III and Ashley Cale, as well as Joleen Thomas-Ferguson were starting to feel a little left out of things.

When the cheers finally settled, Richard motioned towards the food, and calmly said, "That is it for the good news, now enjoy. Tomorrow we will get back to our regular classes and studies. This past week has told us we may need to be more on our toes." At that moment, the sound of a knock on the main door echoed through the building. He glanced at Yvette, and noticed she was already heading out to get the door. Deep down, they both knew who it might be, but they were both hoping they were wrong, especially as Eloise's father was coming this week.

There were other things it could be, including a crazy plan by Emplate and his 'Rippers', even thought he was sure Emplate was lying about them not being his. There was also the fear that the knock might be Sinister in some kind of disguise, or one of Claudette's minions. He was also hoping that it wasn't the Knights of Humanity, who had started targeting his school. He was sure they only started this because of his school, but he didn't want a confrontation.

After he heard nothing bad from Yvette, he started to get some food together. It was comforting that nothing appeared to be wrong, and that all was well. It wasn't until his wife finally returned, and when he saw who was with her, that he almost dropped his plate. In that moment, he knew it would take a miracle to avoid a major confrontation, since when .

* * *

X. Christina

* * *

Christina looked around the room they had entered, and realized that both she and Kevin had interrupted dinner. Deep down, she had a feeling they would, but was being optimistic. She could also sense a bit of worry coming from both Richard and Yvette Cale, however she had sensed the concern when Yvette had answered the door. Before she could even ask about what was worrying them, Yvette announced their arrival to everyone. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to two old friends of ours. Ms. Christina Laine and Kevin Dallas. We had met then a few years ago, and they stopped by for a visit."

She politely waved her hand, knowing that her tail swishing was getting all the students attention. She smiled, and said, "Hello. I wish we could say we are here for a social visit, but I'm afraid our visit isn't just social."

She started to feel nervous when Kevin just spoke up, glancing over those who had to be the teachers at the school. "You could say we are here to get the jump on a very evil man. One that has cause a lot of grief, but I wouldn't want you to get involved." As Kevin spoke, she saw him start to walk around the room, being the typical showman. She could have sworn he was acting like a great hero, about to finally defeat his foe.

She watched as Richard looked at Kevin, a bit upset, and said, "Kevin, I want you to remember something. This is a school, and they are students. They also know nothing about your lives mission. Those statement are like an open invitation to join you." She watched as Kevin looked right at Richard, and she knew that Richard had chosen his words to stun Kevin.

She walked over to Kevin, and calmly said, "He is right, Kevin. This is your crusade, and it's not right to get these kids involved." As she said those words, she noticed everyone was now looking about both of them, and she was certain the students were wondering about what Kevin had said.

Eventually, her eyes locked with one student. She looked at the student, and as they looked at each other, she could see something familiar in the girl. The girl looked a bit like Yvette when she used her powers, but there was something else that was familiar that she couldn't place at the moment.

Her thoughts were broken when Kevin then said, "I can respect that, but it would have been nice if his teacher here," and she noticed he was pointing at a dark-skinned teacher, whom she never met from their first time meeting Richard and Yvette, "had offered us a ride here, instead of trying to flirt with me."

She watched as the teacher got up, with a very disapproving look in her face. "How dare you accuse me of something like that. I would never flirt with someone like you." In part, she could tell from the way the woman was dressed, and how it contrasted so differently from Kevin's usual biker image, that they were of two different worlds.

However, she gasped when Kevin said, "Well, you could have fooled me, with how you were dressed. Hell, you're actually wearing something this time. Maybe earlier, you were entertaining your wild side." When those words left Kevin's mouth, she was sure that Kevin would be tossed out. Then she noticed a worried look on the woman's face. She realized that something was wrong, but her friend took the look the wrong way. "I guess I exposed your little secret."

She watched as somehow, every teacher reacted as if they were talking on a telepathic level. Soon, Richard had walked over to Kevin, and placed his hands on Kevin's shoulders. She also noticed a extra troubled look cross his face, which if she remembered Richard Cale's power correctly, meant he saw more of what Kevin had been through. "Kevin, did you mention where you were going to that lady?"

She heard Kevin react in a slightly upset tone. "What do you mean? Didn't she tell you that she ran into us?" In that moment, she saw a panicked look start to cross all the teachers. She also noticed a familiar odor in the air, one that she had smelled on the plane. She hadn't told Kevin everything about that odor, but it was a mixture of several scents, some of which she had smelled when in the jungles. In fact one was linked to what could only be described as a spider as big as a man.

In that moment, she then heard a growl coming from outside. She turned to look at the window, and heard Richard say, "We need to get everyone out of this room." Soon, she realized what was happening. The woman that Kevin had seen wasn't the woman here, but a twin will ill intentions. In an instant, the window exploded as a huge cat creature came in. From the creature, Balam could detect a wave of malevolence, and was stunned when Richard said, "The Black Beast of Exmoor. Everyone out of the room now."

Part of her wanted to use her powers and grow in size, but the sudden appearance of a second cat, as well as a hulking brute, and some thing that could not be human at all stopped her from doing so. While it looked humanoid in general appearance, many tentacles came from the creatures back, as if they were a natural part of the thing. Everyone was heading out the door, and she was the last one out when the tendriled thing just said, "Surprise, surprise, Vanquisher." She closed the door, and quickly followed the group, knowing they needed to form a plan, and feeling a bit guilty that their arrival invited this attack. She even wondered if their attackers were linked to Canon, but she was certain they weren't, since they made sure never to leave any trace that they received help from Lord and Lady Cale. However, she was sure that this night would be an interesting one.

* * *

Authors Notes

* * *

This latest chapter comes after a slight delay. Shortly before my own deadline, I got a new computer. With the new computer, I can do a better job of keeping up after any typos, but the time consuming task of Transfering all my works caused a delay in posting.

This is also an important chapter. Thanks to all the writing I've done over the years, this chapter breaks the 1,000,000 word mark. It took about 13 years to reach this mark, but I don't regret any of it. All of my works, with the exceptions of a few are posted on my website, even a few that are not posted on here, so feel free to check them out.

And now the all important references

Kevin Dallas, Christina Laine (AKA Balam), Canon and Eloise are all characters created by my friend Kyrokou (aka Rich Palmer). Kevin, Christina and Canon all first appear in the previous series Cale Storyline in story Iron X. Eloise first appears in chapter 16, Overseas Developments.

Graylon, Kiana, Asira, and Tasha are all creations of Mike N. Their versions in this series are different than in his series, but used with his blessing.

The secret of Darrett is mentioned a few times in the Cale Storyline, but not divulged until Story 16 of the Cale Storyline, Class Dismissed

Now, here is to another million words. Read and enjoy. Next chapter will show the outcome of the chaos.


	22. Dangerous Party Crashers

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 22: Dangerous Party Crashers

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I. Thomas

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Thomas Jacobs started to feel like his luck was betraying him. It had come through for him earlier in the day, when attacked by the monsters in the simulation, but now they were dealing with real monsters. He wondered if it was linked to the two people who had shown up. He quickly put that out of his mind when he remembered how shocked they were when the creatures all burst through the dining room windows.

As they rushed towards the main hall, he heard Richard Cale shout, "With all those things in this attack, we need to get all the children to safety. I'd rather they all be someplace safe while we take care of this." He knew what Lord Cale meant. During this attack, he wanted all the students and kids someplace safe while all the teachers repelled the invaders.

What he was sure would actually happen was different. Some of the students would disappear to someplace safe, while the others would remain to help. Right now, he was sure his power would not be good in battle. He thought about the others and what they might do. Tasha Lewis would either hide, or try to help, even if she was in a sheltered area. Kevin Mitchel would rather fight. He was sure at least one of the new students, most likely Allen Aaron, would also fight. Also, what he came to know of Prince James, the boy might fight, even though Lord Cale wouldn't want that.

He then glanced at Anne Smith, who he did have feeling for, but also knew that she didn't share those feelings right now. He knew she might want to fight, but that she might also need to use her powers to get them to safety. Those feelings were confirmed when he heard Sean Cassidy, whom they were all informed was Lady Cale's adoptive father, say "I don't think getting them to that game room is an option. Besides, I don't think there is time to start up the programs."

He could have sworn he heard someone curse under their breath. It was then that he knew it was Clarice Ferguson-Thomas, who was also Lord Cale's bodyguard. "I think the path to your other office is blocked off too. The only other option is teleportation, and I don't know how well I can transport the students down there. We may have try to get them as far away as possible."

Before he could even suggest it, he heard Tasha say, "Sir, you can't expect us to leave the school. I know I can't leave if there is trouble. This is the only place keeping me safe from my parents." Thomas had known a bit about Tasha's situation, so her reaction wasn't a surprise. Besides, he also knew she had been designated as a team leader.

It was then he said his piece. "Sir, it may be best if Anne does the teleporting. She can open one of her 'steps', and get a good portion of us to safety, and it might be best if Mrs. Thomas goes with us." He had remember the announcement made at dinner, before everything happened, and he could even see, just by glancing at Mr. Everett Thomas, that he agreed with the idea.

For a brief moment, he wondered if they were trying to discuss the idea, psychically, but he didn't wonder long as Lord Cale shouted, "Alright, I want all the students that want to go to safety with Anne. Jubilation, Davis and Sean, accompany them, as well as the little ones. Jubilation, we'll call when things are safe."

He watched as she nodded, and everyone who was going to use that method to head to safety gathered round. He knew it was a big thing, but he could also see that Anne was nervous. He quickly grabbed her hand and said, "Just think someplace in England you figure is safe from this attack."

Soon, he noticed the wall next to them change, and everyone started running through. He and Anne were the last to go through, and he never took a moment to make sure they were someplace in the same country, but was thankful when he recognized the location.

It was Sean who finally stated the location they were at. "Faith and begora, she got us all the way to Cardiff. That is one powerful way to teleport, lass." However, he noticed that Sean wasn't going to get a response. If he remember his geography of England correct, where they had been was at least a few hundred miles away, and Anne had collapsed He then started to hope she would recover so they could get home.

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II. Kevin (Sequel)

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Kevin Dallas was shocked when it appeared that some of the students of the school stepped into what had been a solid wall, and then the wall returned. He was impressed that some of them stayed behind to fight, but he wasn't sure if fighting demon cats was a good idea.

As they all entered the main hall, he said to Richard, "So, what exactly are you dealing with here? Something linked to the twin that hit on me?"

He didn't seem surprised when Richard nodded. "Indeed. The brute that came in with the cats is one of Claudette's minions. The other thing is a demon, and I don't want to see the kids hurt by it. The cats are a mystery." He could even see a puzzled look on his friend's face.

He was then surprised when Christy spoke. "Actually, I think Kevin and I saw the source of the cats. A guy on the same plane as us reeked of creature smells I only smelled in the jungle. I caught a whiff of it again before those cats came in." It was then he realized why she seemed on edge. Maybe deep down, she had sensed the danger the guy represented, and he also realized how they might have lead the attackers here.

Before he could say anything else, they all turned as the front door opened, and more of the cats came in, with the brute following them. He was sure the brute might have rivaled The Incredible Hulk, but he was also sure the brute wasn't as massive. In fact, he could swear the brute was literally growing a bit larger.

He then noticed the remaining teachers were preparing for a battle. He noticed that the man he had met named Darrett now had glowing eyes. Soon, several large beetle like creatures appeared, ready to fight their attackers. The woman he had mistook earlier started to fly in the air. The guy he had known as Everett started to synch up with another person he had not remembered meeting, but he was surprised when part of the guy's face disappeared, revealing what looked like a fiery inferno. The woman who was next to that guy then ripped off her skin, revealing a metal body underneath, and Yvette Cale had changed to the form he once saw back in Japan.

He was about to turn and ask Richard if the might need some extra firepower, but before he could, he watched as a black tendril had wrapped around his friend, pinning his arms to his side, and lifting the figure into the air. The human looking form at the base of the tendril just smiled what could only be an evil smile, and said, "The Vanquisher without his sword. Once you are dead, I will hunt down your children as well."

Kevin chanced a moment to glance down, and was surprised to see the blade there, not sure when Richard had grabbed it, but there was no way to toss the blade to him. Kevin also noticed that Chrissy was now growing in size, which meant she was going to help with the cats.

He then reached into his jacket, and pulled out one of his special guns. They had been made of non metallic parts, and could be collapsed to look like something non-threatening. They could also hold and fire some of the most destructive rounds ever seen.

He then looked at the figure, and took aim, and fired a shot. It startled the creature, and he could see the bullet enter the thing, but it didn't fall. He fired again, aiming for the head, and was stunned when the bullet hit it's mark, but the face didn't change.

Kevin started to step back, and heard the creature say in a malevolent voice. "Did you really think a bullet could kill a demon?" Deep down, he didn't know the answer to that, since he never had to consider it. With all that he had done in his life, battling a demon was something he had never done. In fact, he didn't even think he was doing that now.

However, Kevin was sure of one thing. He was sure that this 'demon', if it truly was that, wasn't aware of his mutant power. He let a smile cross his face, as he replied to the thing. "Honestly, I didn't think I was shooting a demon, but it will give me something new to experience." He then leapt up at the creature, glad that it hadn't pulled Richard in close, and fired another shot, hoping his attack would delay the creature long enough for someone to figure a way to stop it.

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III. Kevin (Switchover)

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Kevin Mitchel could not believe how this day went from nice to a complete disaster. Not too long ago, they were having a nice meal, and reflecting on the ups and downs of the past week. Now, they were in a fight for their lives. To add to the situation, some newcomers had arrived, and then the attacked happened. From their original reactions, he was sure they were not part of the attack, but may have picked up on something.

Now those two were part of the battle, and as more huge cat like creatures entered, he could tell they needed something to turn things to their favor. He looked at his fellow students, especially Tasha Lewis who had been dubbed team leader like himself. Her eyes had a slight glow to them, which told him that she was already trying to do something. He also noticed that Prince James was staying very close to Tasha.

Behind them, he noticed that Allan Arron, Kiana Asahara, Alexandra McNeal, and Amy Johnson were also deep in thought. He hoped that wouldn't last for long as more of the monster cats came in. As they cautiously moved into the room, an inspiration hit him. He quickly knelt down, and touched the floor. Quickly, he focused his powers, and the floor transformed, the change flowing out in a circle, changing the floor into a shiny smooth metal.

As the metal spread out, he saw the cats start to lose their footing, which allowed the now huge cat girl to injure a few of them. He saw a few scratch her, but at her size, those wounds shouldn't be a problem.

He also noticed that the one new teacher, Paige, had ripped off her skin, revealing a metal form underneath. As she started to move towards the beasts, the sound of her metal feet on the now metal floor distracted him for a moment, and in that brief moment, he noticed a table being turned into the same metal, and everything on it becoming deadly spikes.

He quickly pulled his hands off the floor, and noticed that even the brutish man was having a hard time on the metal. Deep down, Kevin knew it was a good sign. They were repelling the attack. However, he noticed that Lord Cale was still in the grips of something he wasn't sure was a mutant or not.

Those thoughts were interrupted when Tasha finally spoke, which made him realize that the whole time, she was using her powers to scan for anyone else. "We have a problem. The one controlling all those cats is outside the building, with the one who is control the other creature, and those who work with Henry. We need to find a way to stop them." In that moment, Kevin realized that the cats, while now hampered, would need to be driven out, and the creature that had Lord Cale, and being now attacked by the one visitor, would not stop until it was commanded to, or immobilized, and he wasn't sure how to do that.

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IV. Kiana

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Kiana's eyes went wide when she heard the words Tasha said. She had recognized the demon when it first appeared, and Tasha words only confirmed that her evil cousin, Arisa Shimanouchi, was nearby. However, while part of her wanted to seek out her cousin, and make her pay for the death of her father, Kiana knew that the demon might kill Lord Cale. Even now, the monstrosity had Lord Cale wrapped in one of its tendrils, and the one visitor now caught in another. She looked at the others, and said, "Any ideas on how to distract that demon so we can rescue Lord Cale?"

She noticed that Amy shook her head. "I'm still trying to figure out how we are going to get rid of those huge cats. I don't think my skills will distract any of them for long, especially being in the same room."

She wasn't surprised when Alexandra, who she recently learned the real name of the girl, said, "It might work on those outside. I've been listening to them since Ta.. I mean Soulshock located them. As long as they stay out there, they can keep summoning more of those cats. The only one remaining quiet out there, I guess, is the one controlling that demon. If we can cause a disturbance out there, we might be able to cut down the forces in here."

Kiana then looked at the demon, and nodded. "I think I know of a way to help in that, but it means I need to get close to the demon." She glanced back at the others, who all looked at her with wide and worried eyes. She took a deep breath, and explained. "The one controlling that thing is my cousin, Arisa. Some time ago, she killed my father, using her powers to capture and control demons. One time, I fought one of her demons, and I killed it. This was after Arisa fled the scene, but after I killed it, I heard a loud yell of pain come from near by. When I finally pinpointed it, I realized she was boarding a plane to parts unknown. I just recently caught up with her."

In a brief moment, she saw a look of understanding cross all their faces, until Kevin's eyes went wide again. "If you think that will work, you better hurry. Look!" She turned and saw what everyone who could see the demon saw. The one tentacle holding the visitor had managed to throw the still fighting form right towards the transformed table. She realized what was going to happen, and in a brief moment, she also so a calm look cross the visitor's face, soon to be replaced with a knowing grin.

As the body got impaled by the now deadly spikes on the table, she noticed something wasn't right. The demon had paused in its action, as if something was amiss. She had battled demons before, and when she first trained with her father, she had seen one kill someone. Her father had pointed out that demons knew when they killed someone, because they could feel and feed on the victim's chi. Now she realized what was off, but she wasn't sure why, especially as the demon just said, "That was strangely unfulfilling."

She then saw it bring Lord Cale to face it, and she could see that in Lord Cale's face, he knew why the demon wasn't happy. She was impressed when he remained calm and said to the demon. "Maybe you didn't kill him. Maybe he's still hanging on to life."

She saw and angry look cross the demon's face as it said, "Humans need their hearts to live, Vanquisher, and I see that one has lost his on the spike." She then watched as the demon started to move the tentacle holding Lord Cale. "I'll make sure you learn that now."

Kiana held up her sword, and knew this was the time to attack. She also pulled out one of her scrolls, and tossed it at the demon. She knew it would freeze the demon in place, and would buy her the time she needed to do what she knew she must do.

When they hit the demon, she noticed the shock on the creature's face, especially as she quickly crossed the distance. As she did, she proudly said, "You will not kill anymore people, Sen." She then leapt towards the now frozen demon, hoping her aim was true.

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V. Paige

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As Paige Guthrie continued to help in the fight, she had been amazed at what had happened. First, the one girl, that she and Jono had been asked to bring to Xavier's school, had transport some of the kids, as well as her former teacher and friends, Sean Cassidy, and Jubilation Thomas, someplace else. Even Davis Skinur, whom she remembered was a one time foe, was asked to join them. She realized that right now, Davis wouldn't be helpful since there was no music around. Then, one of the other students transformed the floor to a very smooth metal, which was giving some of the cat creatures a hard time. She husked her skin just in time, changing it to the same metal compound, since some of the cats were getting more dangerous.

She glanced over to the one stranger, who had reached a huge size, and was swatting the cat creatures back with a vengeance. When Paige chanced a look around, she noticed why. The other stranger laid impaled on what had been a table with various items on it earlier. She chanced a glance up, and saw that what ever had thrown the stranger, was now about to do the same to her former class mate.

Out of her X-Men training, while she knew she had her hands full, she called out to the first person she could call on for help. "Chamber, we need to help Skitz, or he's going to end up like that one guy who just arrived."

As she continued to fend off the cats, she heard Jonothan shout back. "I hate to say it, but Synch and I have our hands full with this brute. I swear he's like Hyde in that one movie." She understood the reference, but was also crestfallen that she didn't know who else to contact. Everyone was literally fighting off the felines that they forgot about the strange creature, which now was about to kill Richard. Even Yvette had her hands full, fending off the one cat. She wished she had Yvette's healing factor, since every slash the feline made healed instantly.

Inward, she started fearing the worse, until she heard a sound similar to the one she heard when the one stranger was impaled. In that briefest of moments, she felt a grief starting to well up in her, but a momentary glance after hearing a few thuds made those feelings disappear. What she saw restored some hope in her that this battle was going to end in a victory. It was the head of the creature, on the floor by the table. She also glanced up as a young Asian girl shouted, "You won't kill another person, demon. It's over."

In that moment, Paige sensed something had changed in the battle. The large cats were starting to back off, as was the brute. It was also in that moment Paige heard a cry of anguish come from somewhere close by. She also heard Alexandra shout, "They are starting to panic. I heard someone say to someone else that Arisa appears in pain, and someone who sounds like Ms. St. Croix saying something like 'prepare to flee, Quinn.'"

It was something Paige had suspected when the other two had arrived earlier. The way that man had spoken, he thought Monet had been flirting with him. When they all realized it was Claudette, they all realized something was about to happen. What Alexandra had said only confirmed it. Paige quickly uppercut the cat that was now attacking her, and started to move forward. "We need to stop them, so they can pay for what happened here." She glanced back at the dead body on the table, and then looked at the door just as Everett, looking a little more like the brute, punched the brute so hard, that he flew through the door.

Paige glanced back for a moment, and noticed that the huge cat-girl had not shrunk down yet. She was sure the woman would head out to pursue the escaping foes, since her friend was obviously dead. However, she did notice that one of the students appeared to be talking, but she didn't hear any words. She then realized what was going on, and noticed a few of the students were started to head to the door as well. She also noticed that Darrett's eyes were glowing, which meant he was calling something forth to help. She then headed towards the front door, knowing the fight would now continue outside, and hopefully stop the attackers for good.

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VI. Quinn

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Quinn Taylor did not like how things were now going. When they had begun this attack, Claudette was certain they would be able to take the Cale's and their friends by surprise. It could be that the chance encounter her boss told her about didn't backfire. The way things had been going, they were still unaware of the attack. However, all that changed when Arisa collapsed. To be honest, she did like the girl's spirit, even though she wasn't a mutant. She quickly went over to Arisa. "What happened? Did they do something to you from in there?"

She was shocked when the girl answered through gritted teeth. "Someone killed Sen, the demon I sent in there. I'm sure it was Kiana, and I could sense that Sen was bothered about something. I think it was that moment when Kiana struck."

Quinn looked back at Claudette, who was standing with their newest member and Golden, and said, "It may be time for a hasty retreat, Claudette." She glanced back towards to the school, and saw Henry Edward come flying out the door of the school. "I think they got a moral boost from the end of the demon."

She watched as Claudette nodded. "You're right, Quinn. Our new ally will call back his cats. You fetch Arisa, and we'll motion Henry over so we can all leave at once." She then watched as the greasy haired man's eyes turned black. She then turned to Arisa and started to reach down to help the girl up.

In that moment, she froze as she heard a voice behind her. "Leaving so soon. We were just coming out to meet you." In the voice, she heard the tone of mocking, or taunting. Plus, her hearing told her the talker was nearby, and somehow snuck past all of them, like they were invisible.

She smirked, forgetting about Arisa for a moment, and said, "Then lets be sure to see you." She then did a spinning roundhouse kick, hoping to hit the invisible mutant. As she spun around, a look of horror crossed her face. It was the reaction as her kick moved through air, and did not hit the voice she thought was behind her, which she was sure was a girl, but the new recruit, and succeeded in knocking him out.

Almost instantly, all the large cats disappeared. That meant that there was nothing to slow down those that were coming after them. She glanced over at Claudette, hoping her leader wasn't upset with her.

She was relieved when Claudette just looked at her, and just said, "I think someone used a voice projection power. Very clever, but I'm not sure how they knew that you would try to kick them, and that you'd hit Tyd, and that changes things. We must now get out of here as fast as possible." She then watched as Claudette motioned at the new recruit, and said "Carry him, since you knocked him out. Right now, if one of us gets caught, it will have to be Arisa."

Quinn swallowed hard, knowing that this was something Claudette had done before. Before, she didn't mind the loss, but this time was different. This time, instead of losing a pain in the butt whose powers she thought were of little use, it appeared that they would lose an ally whose powers, and intellect, were useful to the team.

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VII. Arisa

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Arisa was still in shock by what had happened. Sen was the most power demon under her control, and it took her some time to control him. For him to die, it was a powerful blow to her. She struggled to get up, however the pain was so great, it kept her from standing upright.

She looked up for a moment, and glanced in the direction of Quinn, who she thought was coming to help her. She was surprised when she saw the female mutant, walking over to the new member, who was knocked out. For a moment, she wondered who managed to do that, given that he had sent all the cats inside with Sen to detain the others there.

Her wonderings left her mind when she saw the form on Henry Edwards fly by overhead, quickly reverting back to his weaker form. Judging by the way he flew, he had apparently been struck with something similar to his powers. She dared a glance back, and noticed one dark skinned man, with a rainbow like glow around him, doing the same. She quickly realized that somehow, that glow must had given him the ability to do so.

She also noticed that many others were running out of the building, and towards their location. She started to get up, knowing that her only chance to escape would be to reach the others. If those they had attacked had not come running out, she might have had a chance to flee or find a hiding spot. Now, all her hopes were if she could reach the others.

Those hopes fell when two things happened. The first was she was being lifted into the air by a hand that had grabbed her. At first, she could have sworn it was Claudette. However, when she saw Claudette fly into the air, with Quinn holding onto one of her legs, and the two of them carrying the rest, she realized it wasn't. She then turned her head, and was shocked to see a huge, what almost looked like a pterodactyl, holding her.

In a brief moment of panic, she yelled out to Claudette. "Boss, I need help." In part, it was because of all the demons she had researched since discovering ways to control them, some of the nastiest ones had been said to look like the form holding her now. She also figured that amongst them, word had gotten around that she was a person who enslaved them. Sometimes, like with Sen, it took a great deal of effort to gain that control. She also was aware that some of them might take revenge, or worse.

After a moment, she felt the thing turn her to face it, and was stunned when she noticed how the thing was studying her. In that moment, she saw it's eyes, and was stunned to see not a demonic pressence there, but something human. It was also then that she realized that Claudette wasn't going to come back for her, that she had been left behind to be caught by their enemies, which also meant that her good cousin, Kiana, would finally get her chance at revenge.

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VIII. Allan

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Allan maintained his grip on the one member of the group that had attacked the school. When she first panicked after seeing him, he had to tighten his grip a bit. He didn't want this one to escape, even if she had been the easiest to catch. He then noticed that two of the teachers, Monet and Everett, had caught up to him. "I caught one of them, but the others flew away."

He watched as Monet and Everett took the air, the latter saying, "No doubt my sister is trying to get away. Hopefully, she won't have a good head start. Stay here, and don't let her get away."

Allan nodded and then looked at the girl again. She did look similar to Kiana, but as he looked at her, something told him there was something evil about her. It was as if something in her was trying to figure out what he was, and if she could control him. To be honest, he didn't think she could, since he wasn't evil.

As he kept his gaze locked on her, he heard some of his classmates come over to him. He noticed that the girl's were looking around, and that Kevin looked a bit somber. As the girl's looked around, he just said, "What are you two looking for?"

For a moment, the two girls looked around, until Alexandra spoke up. "The one Soulshock said the other knocked out. A…, I mean, Voice, made her voice come from here, and the one knocked out the other one. I then heard them say something about if one of them got caught."

In that moment, the girl he was holding spoke up. "They fled and left me behind, a mistake on their part. So you are the ones who fooled them into thinking you got in our ranks. I take it one of you is controlling this demon."

After hearing those words, Allen couldn't help but laugh, and in the form he was in, it was a scary sound. After a moment, as all the girls cringed a bit, he calmed down and spoke. "I'm not a demon. I can understand why you would think that, but Ridley is not a demon." He then looked her in the eye again. "Now, the question is what we will do with you?"

He was stunned when he heard Kiana speak, since last he had seen her was helping Lord Cale after that thing had been killed. "The answer is simple. We get the police here to take her to jail. She is responsible for many murders, including the death of my father, and the person who just arrive here tonight."

In that moment, he noticed that Kevin looked like he might collapse. He remembered then that Kevin's powers had turned the table the one guy landed on into a bed of large spikes. He could also tell that Kevin felt guilty for accidentally changing the table. "It was my power that changed the table. I should have focused more on keeping that from happening."

He was then surprised when he heard Mr. Thomas behind them. "It's all right, Switchover. You are still learning to control your powers. As for what happened, well, once we get inside, you'll find out. Let's just say it will be surprising." As they headed in, Allen started to wonder what his teacher meant, and how it could be more surprising than the man dying.

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IX. Jonothan

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Jonothan took a deep breath as the battle ended. Of those that had remained inside when the foes left, he was the only one who wasn't really winded. That was due to the fact that he temporarily shed the illusion of his face and chest being whole. It was a good illusion, which even allowed him to eat and kiss, but at times like this, impractical.

He started to restore the illusion, however, as he turned to face those remaining. He noticed that Yvette was helping Richard down to the main floor of the room, and that Clarice was helping Darrett. However, the cat-girl had not shrunk down to her normal size. He walked over to her, and looked over at the figure impaled on the table, and then asked, "Why haven't you returned to your normal size? Are you in shock over his death?" Deep down, he was certain this was the reason for her remaining that size.

He was surprised when Yvette walked over with Richard, and said, "It's because of the wounds, isn't it." When the girl nodded, he didn't understand. Surely the wounds would have only been superficial at that size.  
When she answered, it became clear. "When I change in size, any wounds, that might appear superficial, become more lethal. I had no doubt when I go back to normal, I'll be a bloody mess." He nodded in understanding, but he was also surprised by the lack of grief.

He was even more puzzled when the others came back in, and Everett looked over at the figure. "What's the verdict on Kevin? I'm hoping we can ease Switchover's regrets." This puzzled him more. What was his friend and fellow Generation X teammate talking about.

Jonothan finally understood when Richard walked over to Kevin, and stopped. He could see Richard was in a deal of pain, before backing away from the figure. "It's kicked in. I know you can all see what Christy's powers are, but Kevin's are way different. His powers are self resurrection. No matter how he dies, the energy of his body, no matter what may be left of it, can resurrect and regenerate his body in a week's time."

He noticed that the boy blinked at that. "You mean, he's not dead?" When Richard shook his head, he noticed that the boy looked as confused as he was. If the man wasn't dead, he had to be alive, unless he was vampire.

He then heard Christy explain it. "When he dies, he comes back with his memories, a new secondary power, and sometimes a personality change. However, his body literarily is dead. The only thing we can safely do it place him in another room, close and lock the door, and come to it in a week."

Jonothan could hear a sound of shock come from Paige, who had gone out with the others. "That sounds a bit ghoulish. I don't think we should keep a dead body around until it replaces itself. Isn't there some other way?"

He watched as Darrett, Richard and Everett started to lift the body up. As they did so, he heard Richard respond. "I'd like to say there is, but this is he same thing we did back in Japan. Besides, this is one thing I don't want to try to explain to the police. I'm still debating what we are going to do with the one attacker, whom I see one of our new students has captured. I take it that is Kiana's cousin."

He glanced over at the odd creature he had seen the one student transform into, and blinked twice when the girl next to him spoke. "Yes, that the one responsible for my father's death. Are we going to turn her into the police?"

Jonothan could tell that Richard was unsure how to answer that question. However, at that moment, the phone rang. Everyone just froze for a moment, and then Amy spoke. "I told Chance to tell Lightshow and the others that things were fine now. It should be them."

He watched as Yvette picked up the phone. "Lightshow, is everyone ok? Where are all of you, and why haven't you teleported back?" He noticed that Yvette's eyes went wide, and almost pure blue as Jubilation answered both question. He then realized why when she put her hand over the receiver and said, "Guildmaster has collapsed from the teleporting, and they are stuck in Cardiff." He then wondered how they would all get back, and who might have to go get them.

***********************************************

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X. Jubilation

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Jubilation could tell Yvette didn't like hearing where they were, and the state of Anne. The main reason for that was because it stranded them, which included all the little kids, and two of the students, hundreds of miles away from the school. In part, she was also glad that the Prince didn't come with them, however, she wasn't sure how his powers would help at the school. Most likely, he stayed back, and possibly next to Tasha.

She brought her mind back to the situation on hand. "Yes, we are stuck in Cardiff, 'Penny'. Not to far from the Roald Dahl Plass, and it is starting to get dark here. Any idea if you can get someone here?"

She was a bit crestfallen when Yvette answered. _"I don't know. We have a few things to clean up. Sequel ended up dead, but I'm sure you remember what that means."_ She nodded, remembering the incident in Japan, and learning of the young man's powers. _"We may have to call the police in, which is good that Harmonic is with you and Sean. We managed to catch one of Claudette's group, which is the one responsible for the demon. That one won't be bothering us anymore. However, we aren't sure what to do with the girl."_

Jubilation understood entirely, due to her time with the X-Men. Sometimes, it took time to clean up after an attack, and sometimes the police ended up coming in. She then glanced at the one student that was with them, whose name was Eloise. She then spoke again to Yvette, reverting back to the nickname she called her. "Penny, I think our big concern would have to be the little ones, and Eloise. Remember you said Sinister was looking for her. We need to get her back to the school quickly."

She almost didn't notice when Davis tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Lightshow, I think you might want to see this." Shortly after they had arrived, they had to make sure everyone stayed together. Sean had been watching all the kids, and Davis was to watch the students. The only one who would have to use their powers was her, and she only did it once, when she noticed a very odd looking person. A quick paf, and the odd looking person ran away, but his face had worried her.

Now, as she turned to look at what Davis had seen, she was stunned. A group of people were approaching them, one of which struck her as very good looking. If she wasn't married, she would have hit on him in a heartbeat. She even wanted to do so now, but she fought to contain herself. She also noticed that when she first got on the phone, none of the people had been in sight. It was then that Davis said, "They just appeared out of thin air, right in front of the monument."

In the back of her mind, alarms were going off. She wasn't sure where the people had come from, and it worried her. As she watched them approach, she noticed that everyone else had gotten near to her. The only one of all of them that showed no sign of being nervous was Thomas. When they neared, the good looking one, who had to be the leader, spoke. "Excuse me, are you in need of some help?"

Before Jubilation could respond, she heard Yvette speak up over the phone. _"Captain, is that you? It's Lady Cale."_ Jubilation was shocked hearing Yvette respond to the voice, but she noticed the man in the lead smile. He even appeared at ease.

She even started to relax when he answered. "Yes it is, Lady Cale. I hope you and the Paladin are well." Jubilation started to wonder how long they might have known about the man. However, she was grateful when the others with him appeared to relax, and everyone in her group appeared at ease now.

She was amazed that Yvette sounded so chipper, especially after the attack. _"We are, mind you we had a little scuffle here are our school. In fact, our friends, and some of our students, had gone there I guess for safety from the fight, and now need a ride home. Would you and your friends there at the Hub be able to help."_

She felt better when the guy smiled. "Indeed. I think it would be a nice brake for all. We had just gotten word of one problem, but something bright scared it off. That is, if no one here is opposed to it."

She took that moment to speak up. "I think we would all appreciate it. You just caught us a little off guard, but since you know our friends, that would be fine. I hope you don't mind a long ride." She smiled, and part of her fantasized for a moment, and then remembered that in a while, she'd be with her husband again, and all the students would be safe again. She then lead everyone, as they all followed those willing to help them get home. As they walked, Jubilation felt more at ease, especially when Thomas just said, "I had a feeling, but I didn't want to jinx it." She stifled a chuckle, but was glad her student's uncanny luck let them be safe. She was also glad he could handle Anne, who was still unconscious. At least, in a few hours, they would be home safe.

---------------------------

Authors Notes

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To those of you who have been following X-Knights, I still have more planned. This chapter hints to some big changes that will impact future chapters.

The mysterious mutant that joins Claudette's gang is named for the first time, and in a future chapter, he will have a POV.

Referenced in this story a few times is the events of the Cale Storyline story, Iron X. That is the 14th full story of the Cale Storyline, where Sequel, Balam aka Christy, and Canon get introduced.

Eloise appearance earlier, as well as Christy and Kevin Dallas's appearance will also hint at a confrontation, the results of wish have not been planned out yet.

If you think you have figured out who those in Cardiff encounter at the end of the chapter, I can only say you may very well be correct. However, I hope I gave enough hints as to their possible identity.

Tasha, Kiana, Graylon, Arisa are all characters created by Mike N.

Christy, Kevin Dallas, and Eloise are all characters created by my friend Kyrokuo

End Chapter

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	23. Complications

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 23: Complications

* * *

I. Kevin

* * *

Kevin Mitchel was having a hard time on Monday. Normally, Monday was one of the days they all practiced using their powers at the Cale Institute. However, give the events of the previous night, he couldn't concentrate. Deep down, he hoped his teacher, Everett Thomas, wouldn't ask him about it and just think he was having trouble changing the forms of the objects in front of him.

After his fifth attempt to transform a piece of wood into something else, he knew his luck had run out. He felt bad when his teacher gave him a concerned look and asked the question he had been dreading. "Kevin, I know you can do this. I've seen you do it perfectly a few times. Is there something bothering you that you can't focus on your powers?"

At first, Kevin didn't want to say. He was picked to be a team leader, and his whole problem was linked to what happened last night. He didn't want word to spread about his concerns. However, he knew if he didn't voice them, his control over his powers would suffer more.

He took a deep breath, and then looked at his teacher. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm still worked up over the events of yesterday. Mr. Dallas's death is still on my mind. If I hadn't transformed that table, he wouldn't have died."

He felt his teacher place a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. For some reason, it didn't help, and he continued. "I never thought that after being named a team leader, I'd have to deal with someone dying because of something I did. What makes it worse is that he isn't even a teacher here. He was just visiting."

At that moment, he heard his teacher speak. "Listen, Kevin, there is a lot you don't know about when it comes to Sequel, as he calls himself. I know you got a brief explanation of his powers, but I don't think you got a full understanding of them. In fact, only one person in this world has a fair assessment of Sequel's powers, and they didn't like what they saw."

Kevin looked at his teacher for a moment, and the first person he thought of was the girl that was with Sequel, the girl who was a bit feline in appearance. "You mean the cat-girl, Christy?"

He was stunned when Everett shook his head. "Nope. I mean Richard. A key point of his powers is he gains insight to those powers, and what they are capable of. My powers allow me to do the same, but not on the same levels as his. In the briefest of moments that Richard had those powers, he not only saw what those powers did, he also realized what that meant. He once said he pities Sequel, because his powers mean perpetual life, even after 'The End'."

Kevin swallowed hard when he heard that. Even though it wasn't something he wanted to think about, he never thought about the implications of having immortality. Here he was, worried about someone dying because of his powers, and when it came to it, the person who was effected by that wasn't going to truly dead, ever. It made him feel a little better, but he still didn't feel the best about it.

He then looked at his teacher again and calmly asked another question about the whole situation. "Sir, did anyone ever die during your Generation X days?"

The answer he got surprised him. "Yes, someone did die once, and it was during a mission that Richard was in charge of. I think it still bothers him to this day, because of the full ramifications. Just sit down, and I'll tell you a bit about it, since I was on that mission." He nodded and then sat down in a nearby chair, hoping it would ease his own discomfort.

* * *

II. Amy

* * *

Amy Johnson had finished with her lesson earlier than she had figured, since the lesson plan had changed with only one teacher helping her. She had decided to check on Kevin, figuring he was still shaken up over the events of the previous night. Arriving at the room that he had been training in, she was stunned to hear his teacher, Everett Thomas, mentioning about something that had happened to Lord Cale.

She had entered the room just after Kevin had sat down, and surprised both of them when she asked. "Did I hear you right in saying Lord Cale went through something like this?" When the teacher nodded, she looked at him and said, "Do you mind if I listen in? I am a bit worried about Kevin, but I'm also a bit curious about what you said."

She sat down next to Kevin when Everett nodded and then spoke. "I won't sugar coat it, and I'm sure you heard small parts of what had happened, but I'll tell you a bit more. Back in our days as Generation X, we had gotten hit with a situation that I hope you'll never face. At the time, we were recovering from an odd situation involving a being named Mojo. As a result of that, Richard was recovering due to something done to his eyes. On the last days of his recovery, a few events happened all at once. The first was that his cousin, Godiva, sent four girls to the school to be protected by him."

She blinked when she heard that, and asked the first question that came to her mind. "Was that linked to his Paladin title?" That was something they were all told about, but she wasn't sure how many people knew about it years ago.

Everett nodding in response to the question. "Yes, but their attacker was Emplate, not a demon. At the same time, Monet's father, Cartier St. Croix, and another individual had come to the school to talk about something very important with Richard. What ended up happening was it set the stage for a disaster. At that time, Monet wasn't at the school, since her body was under the control of her evil sister."

She didn't speak when Kevin said the very words on her mind. "That was the one who headed the attack last night, right. Was this linked to her back then?"

She remained silent as the teacher nodded again. "Yes. It seems that while her father was at the school, she had worked with another person to launch an attack, which split our team up, and allowed Emplate to attack the school and gain a lot more than we expected. I was part of the team that responded to the attack, which had been the abduction of Yvette."

Amy then realized at how Lord Cale had responded. He had led the team to rescue his wife. Everett's words only confirmed it. "We had gone to rescue Yvette, and Cartier went with, in hopes of also capturing Claudette. As it turned out, our team had setbacks, but succeeded in rescuing Yvette. However, the cost was Cartier's life, and at that time, we didn't fully know the power he truly possessed. As it turned out, he died just as we returned home. It was then we learned how much more powerful Emplate had gotten, as well as finding out that Emplate had abducted the four girls that Richard was entrusted to protect. To this day, I know Richard still feels guilty about it."

Amy finally gasped, not realizing that until that very moment, she had been holding her breath. She also noticed that just by looking at Kevin's face, the worry was all but gone. The story of what Lord Cale went through must have made him feel better. She was certain of it when Kevin spoke. "He still feels bad about that, even after all these years. He doesn't appear to show it."

She then turned to look at him. "He is a leader, and a good one. I'm sure you'll be as good as him in time." She then gave him a kiss on the cheek, and she could see him smile after that. She had done that not only because she loved him, but because he needed it. "I know you can handle it, and the responsibility. Just remember, you don't have to deal with this alone. You have your teammates, and your teacher, to help you through it." She watched as he nodded, and she knew he would be feeling better soon.

* * *

III. Monet

* * *

Monet St. Croix blinked and stretched her stiff muscles. This was her usual routine after finishing a session on the Astral Plane with Tasha Lewis. When they had started teaching the young psychic, it was her and Yvette, but since Yvette's trip to America, she was doing the lessons solo. She was at least thankful that Tasha had adopted a clothed form on the Astral plane, ever since their first session a few weeks ago.

As her dark skinned student started to blink her eyes, a sign that the girl was getting used to looking through her normal eyes again, she could sense some anxiety. There was obviously a question on the young girl's mind that they had not addressed yet. She waited until Tasha was fully back before asking her student what was wrong. "Is there something you were wondering about?"

She watched as the young girl nodded, and then asked a question that caught her off guard. "Ms. St. Croix, does everyone have a unique psychic fingerprint, or is there some similarities that families or twins share?"

She had never considered the possibility of the question at this point, but after Tasha's encounters with her brother, and her sister's recent attack, she should have expected it. It was also a very valid question, but she would need time to give a good answer. Right now, she needed something to allow her to only give a brief answer.

Almost as if on cue, she noticed Davis Skinur, a fellow teacher at the school, as well as former criminal, stick his head in the door, and then pulled it out of the door. It was obvious to her that he wanted to speak with her. She looked at Tasha then, and gave her best answer. "To be honest, I'm not sure on the family part. I am aware that some psychics have barriers linked to their primary language and powers. Yvette's powers are on a slightly different psychic level than my own, but she can communicate on our level. I'll need to do some research, and give you a better answer at our next session."

She watched as her student got up, apparently satisfied with her answer. She was glad about that, since Tasha appeared to be a very bright and very good student. She was also very talented with her power, able to pick up on things that she couldn't when her powers had started to develop. "Thank you. I'll take my leave now so you and Mr. Skinur can talk." Monet just blinked as Tasha left, indicating she knew Davis was there.

Once the girl had left, she saw Davis enter the room. She could also sense that he was a bit nervous about something, and she felt it was Tasha's parting statement. She decided to calm down her visitor. "I'm sorry about that, Davis. Tasha was learning how to deal with her psychic abilities and must have picked up on you before she left."

She watched as a meek smile crossed his face, a vast contrast from that time she first met him, when he was manipulated by Apocalypse years ago. "It's alright, Monet. I had actually come to speak with you, and ask you something."

She had a feeling what the talk and question would be around. Lately, she had begun liking Davis, and even came to his defense when Jonothan and Paige had arrived. She let a small smile cross her face, and looked at him. "What did you want to talk about?"

She waited as he fidgeted for a moment before speaking. "Well, again, I wanted to thank you for coming to my defense when your friends had arrived. I did appreciate it. I also wondered if, maybe later in the week, you might want to go out to dinner with me. Rich told me of a nice little place in the town, and I thought you might like to go."

She smiled even more when he made the suggestion. She really was starting to have feelings for him. She quickly walked over to him, and gave him a slight kiss on the cheek before answering. "Of course I'd like to. In fact, I would be honored. Should we do this on Wednesday?" When he nodded, she said, "Good. I'll make sure to wear my best dress then." She then left the room, and for a brief moment, hovered above the floor, since she was feeling like she was now walking on air.

* * *

IV. Tasha

* * *

Tasha Lewis continued heading down the hall, trying to close out from her mind the sudden feelings of happiness coming from the direction of her teacher. To her, it wasn't unexpected, since she had detected something before, but didn't want to say anything. She was still learning her powers, and didn't want either of the teachers to think she was spying on them.

She was almost lost in that thought when she turned a corner in the hall, and walked into Prince James. In that moment, both their books went to the floor, and she felt embarrassed. There were a few reasons behind that, the top two being that he was the Prince, and that she did have feelings for him. She quickly got down, and started to pick up the books. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to bump into you."

She was slightly stunned when James got down and helped her with the books. "It's all right, Tasha. Actually, I was hoping I might run into you. I was wondering if you were all right."

As she finished picking up her books, she looked at him, a little bit surprised and his question. "I'm fine. I wasn't as shook up over the event as Kevin was. I was just surprised you didn't go with the others to safety." It was the honest truth. She had thought that he would have gone to safety, since he was the heir to the throne now. However, she also was aware he had feelings for her.

His answer didn't surprise her as much as his reasons did. "Honestly, I didn't leave because you weren't going to safety. I've found myself a bit attracted to you, and didn't want you to be in danger alone. If you would have gone with, I would have gladly gone."

She smiled again after hearing those words, even thought she knew that leaving the school grounds wasn't an option for her. She weakly smiled as she explained why should couldn't leave the school. "If I could have I would. Remember, I came here and asked for sanctuary because my parents have been horrid to me. If I leave the school at all, they'll be able to take me back home. I took a chance once, but I'm afraid to do it again, even if it is to keep me safe from harm."

She felt her heart skip a beat when James took her hand. There was also something very comforting about the way he held it, and when he spoke. "I'm sure I can talk my father into doing something. It's horrid to think anyone could be that way, especially to a nice girl like you."

Tasha looked away for a moment, a bit embarrassed, and also a bit flattered that he said that. Her parents had always gone to great lengths to make sure everyone thought she was a delinquent. Now, she had someone falling for the person she truly was. She was even more amazed that it was the Prince.

She looked back at him for a moment, and then spoke the words on her mind. "Thank you for saying that. I'll admit, that I have some feeling for you as well." Something in her mind told her that she should kiss him, and she was sure he wanted that as well. She then did a very brazen thing. She leaned in and kissed him. As she did, she felt she had done the right thing, because he returned the kiss, and for a moment, she felt like there was nothing else in the world except them.

* * *

V. Yvette

* * *

Lady Yvette Cale sat in the one family room, with her children, Richard III and Ashley, Darrett and Clarice's daughter, Joleen, and Eloise, their latest guest. Since they had brought the girl to the school, Yvette had taken it upon herself to try to help the girl. A big part of her reasoning was due to the fact that they were similar in appearance. Something she had picked up from Eloise's father, Ambassador Jean Levenque.

Right now, she was working with all the young kids, and Eloise, to further their knowledge of English. For Eloise, it seemed the girl knew little English, but that would be understandable if the girl never left France. However, as the lessons continued, since the first day she met the girl, her comprehension was superb. She was just finishing up for the day when Eloise spoke her first question in English. "Mademoiselle Cale, why do you look similar to me?"

She was so stunned at the question, she didn't respond right away, and go bombarded by questions from all the little kids. "Why is she in here, and not with the other big kids here? Why does she look like you, Mommy?"

She raised her hands, which her children knew was the sign to wait a moment, and sighed. She knew she had not addressed the issues with the kids yet, but she knew she had to now. She decided to start with the easiest one first. "Children, the reason she is here is that Eloise knows little English. She had, prior to her disappearance, grown up in France, and so she knows French."

She then looked at Eloise, who nodded, and she then thought about the other question. It was one that she could not answer, at least not so any of the little ones could understand. She wasn't even sure if she understood it. Eloise looked very similar to her even when their powers were activated, which was odd since they had two separate powers.

She was thankful when the phone rang at that moment. It helped her avoid trying to answer the difficult question. She wasn't even sure she could answer why both her and Eloise looked similar. She cleared her head for a moment, took a deep breath, and answered the phone. "Good day, Cale Institiue, Lady Cale speaking."

Yvette was stunned when the person on the other end spoke. _"Bonjour Lady Cale, It is Ambassador Levenque. I trust my daughter is all right."_ She had been keeping in touch with man who at one time they knew as Canon since his daughter had appeared, and with the recent events, she forgot he might call.

She took a deep breath, and finally responded. "Indeed. I was actually just working a bit on communications with her. She is picking up English relatively quickly. However, we were all surprised by her appearance."

She heard a happy sounding laugh on the other end. _"I suspected as much. When I had first seen you, I will admit that I thought you were Eloise. I guess given my advanced age, one is bound to see people who look similar."_ Yvette kept herself from laughing at the comment, however his next statements made her pause. _"I was actually calling to let you know that I planned to be there in a few days. I hope that won't be a problem."_

Almost instantly, her mind was racing at all the possible problems that might arise, top of those included their other current guests. She also thought about how discrete that he might want the visit to be. As they had found out, his powers made it impossible for him not to be noticed. She was certain a lot would need to be done. "I take it you'll want this to be discrete. No need having the press around."

She heard a sound of affirmation. _"Indeed. No one really knows I had a child. Also, there are individuals that I am sure would cause me harm. I know that most of those are the ones that ran some of the Asylum Seven operations that I have been shutting down. I'm also sure that some of the victims of that are not likely to forget a grudge."_ She held her tongue, not wanting to mention about their current guests. _"Anyhow, if you can make sure of things by Wednesday, that would be splendid. I'm looking forward to seeing my daughter again."_

A bit of panic ran through her as she realized at how much would need to be done. However, she was not going to let that be known. She kept her calm as she responded. "I'm sure we can arrange that. I'll give you a call back to make sure where you'll be arriving at." She then politely hung up the phone.

She sat back, and quickly thought things out. She knew they would need a major misdirection to get Jean Levenque in. She also knew they would need to inform Christy about the arrival and hoped she would understand. She also knew of the only people who could help, and quickly contracted her husband. _"My love, I have to ask you to do something, and contact Graylon. It is involving his visit, which will be this week."_ She then waited for her husband to respond, and hoped he could touch base with everyone that needed to be contacted.

* * *

VI. Christy

* * *

Christy was thankful for the time she was taking to recover. The battle on the previous night had taken a toll, but she was glad everyone was safe. Her injuries were healing, thanks to the med lab they had in the school. What was better was that she didn't have to be alone all the time. Almost everyone had stopped in, to check on her. Her latest visitor was no exception.

That visitor was Jubilation Thomas, or as she remember her from their last encounter, Jubilation Lee. That time, she didn't get to talk with the Asian mutant that much, since she had been abducted by 'The Hand', a group of ninjas that Canon had hired to hurt her host. That had backfired, and they had rescued Jubilee, but she was glad at how the girl had changed since then, and enjoyed hearing it. However, the lady was now asking her a question. "So how has your own quest gone? Has Kevin gotten what he was looking for?"

She cautiously shook her head, being careful not to cause too much movement as her injuries healed. She then answered the question. "Not yet, but he's much closer now. The odd thing is, as we are just about to catch up to one of his operations, we arrive to find it's already closed down. It's like someone is beating us to it, and causing Canon to flee each time."

For a moment, she noticed that Jubilation seemed to be thinking about something, like she might know who's been causing the stop to Canon's Asylum Seven. She wanted to ask Jubilee if she knew something, but before she could ask, she heard another visitor enter the room. It was Richard Cale, and just as he entered, she noticed Jubilation standing up, and heading for the door. "Sorry I can't stay longer, but Richard just asked me to go find one of the students."

As Jubilee left the room, Christy could tell that Richard seemed a little nervous about something. After a moment, he finally spoke to her. "So you were telling Jubilation about the events with Asylum Seven. I take it that they are being shut down."

Christy nodded, but looked at Richard, and could sense he knew something about it. She sat herself up a bit, and looked at her host. "Yes, most of those we've come across have been shut down. Kevin is certain that it is upsetting Canon. Every time we are about to catch up with him, it's after one of the facilities is closed down."

She watched as Richard nodded, saying, "And he's moved on to another location." She wasn't surprised when he figured out that next part, but what did surprise her was his next statement. "I know about the closing down of the various Asylum Seven locations, because I do know who is doing it."

Christy blinked twice, and wondered who the individual was that was stopping Asylum Seven. She tried to sit up a bit, and looked at Richard. "Who has been stopping him? I'm sure Kevin would welcome the help."

She watched as Richard appeared to be in thought for a moment. "To be honest, I'm certain that when you tell him, he might not believe you. It's Canon who is stopping Asylum Seven, and it all stems back to what happened in Japan."

Christy was shocked by what she heard, but she felt certain it was the truth, however difficult it was to accept. "What exactly happened there that caused this, and why are you telling me this now?"

She sat quietly as Richard spoke. "After Canon's bodyguard killed Kevin, I continued to pursue, and I dueled him. During that time, I saw part of the reason he did what he did, since my ability picked up on his. Long ago, his daughter, who looked a lot like Yvette, fled, using her own powers, from Mr. Sinister. That loss drove him to create Asylum Seven, and in his actions afterwards. The incident in Japan showed him how he had been duped because of his anguish. He had been contacted and fed false information about me, which had caused him to hire The Hand. It was then he found out that they had also been hired to abduct Jubilation for another person. I had later found out the man who had hired them to do that was working at one of my company's branches, and Canon had helped me by gathering the info through his connections. That man is still in jail, and Canon since then began closing down all Asylum Seven locations."

While Richard told her that, she then remembered the one girl that was at the table when they arrived, and remembered her features. It started to make sense on why their foe, even though it now appeared he was no longer evil, was coming to England. She looked at Richard, and asked, "Is that one girl I noticed last night his daughter?" When Richard nodded, she realized that Canon must have truly started to change his ways, and she was also sure that Kevin would not fully accept it. However, she was willing to believe it, since if it was true, Kevin would end his mad quest. She then made her next statement, since she was sure it was true. "And he's coming here sometime soon to see her."

She watched as Richard nodded. "Yes, he's coming to see Eloise. He may even let her stay here until he gets all the other sites shut down. However, he did tell me some of those people are not happy about that." She watched as he started to pace. "In a past letter, he was worried about possible retaliation from some of them. His worry is concerned given his mutant power to draw attention to himself, and with his daughter found and here, it may be the safest place for her."

Christy nodded and thought about all she was just told. She finally understood more about Canon, his madness, and how he may have been set on the right path. She then looked at Richard and nodded. "If he is still here when Kevin is back among us, I'll handle Kevin. They way you spoke, I could tell you were telling the truth. I know Kevin won't accept it at first, but I'll keep him calm. Just answer me this, did you ever tell Canon that you were giving us places to stay while we were seeking him." When he shook his head, she could tell he was telling the truth. She smiled and just responded, "Thanks. I'm glad you could do what you could to change him, and allow us to do what we could to stop him as well. I think I should get some rest now." She then laid back down, trying to think how she should best handle Kevin when the time came.

* * *

VII. Alexandra

* * *

Alexandra McNeal made her way to the med lab after her training session. She wasn't heading there because of some injury, but to find Lord Richard Cale. Ever since the events of the previous week, something had been nagging at her, and she was hoping he could explain it. It was actually suggested by her teacher today that she ask him.

As she neared the med lab, she was thankful to see him coming out of the room. She honestly didn't want to have the conversation in the company of other people. As she neared, she saw Lord Cale had seen her. "Alexandra, is something wrong?"

She nodded as she got near, and then looked around for a moment. She was certain that no one was around, and then answered. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about, something that might be an issue concerning my powers." She wasn't exactly sure how to explain the problem, but she hoped he could assure her it wasn't a problem.

She was glad he noticed her concern of being overheard, and motioned to move farther from the door. When she felt it was safe enough to speak, she heard him say, "Now what is concerning you about your powers?"

She took a deep breath, and thought back to the day in class, before she was found out. She hoped when she told him about it, he would realize it was an unintentional usage of her powers. "A few days ago, before you found out who I was, I was trying to focus on your lesson. As it turned out, my power kicked in, and something very odd happened. As I heard you talking about the lesson, I also heard you talking about some sort of attack on the school, as if you were planning it out."

She felt worried when a perplexed look crossed his face, soon to be replaced by a worried look. "Are you saying you heard two different things being said? That would be very hard to do, since I only have one set of vocal cords. Is it possible that you heard someone with a similar vocal pattern?"

She had thought that was possible, except for the fact that she was concentrating on him at the time it occurred. She shook her head and explained. "When my ability had surfaced, it had been due to me thinking about a guy I had a crush on. At that time, I head him talking with another girl that I knew, and I had even heard them making out." She saw a surprised look cross her teacher's face, and she continued. "I couldn't believe it at the time, but then the next day, I passed the same girl telling another guy that she's was loyal only to him. I wanted to say something, but didn't, because of how it would sound."

She stopped as he nodded, and came to an almost accurate conclusion. "I'm guessing after that, you and Graylon Walsh made contact, to properly use you power what you hoped for as good." She nodded, glad he hadn't guessed everything, but he added another thing that made her think. "I want to ask you this, is it possible that when you head me say about this supposed attack, you might have heard someone trying to impersonate me?"

She blinked, thinking about that for a moment. She had never considered the idea of impersonation, and she was aware that there were some mutants who could shape shift into the forms of other people. Over all this time, it had never occurred to her that some of the things she overheard might have been something like that, even though she thought it was unlikely. "To be honest, that thought never crossed my mind at all. Graylon was the one who also verified some of those things. I'll have to ask him later." At that moment, she noticed Lord Cale's eyes seemed to brighten, as if something had just crossed his mind. She hoped it was something that would take her own mind off the current dilemma.

* * *

VIII. Richard

* * *

Richard was glad when Alexandra had mentioned Graylon. It had taken his mind off the disturbing thoughts that had formed when she mentioned about the incident about hearing him plan an attack on the school. Most of those disturbing thoughts were linked to a few things. The first was some words Emplate told him just as he resurfaced, swearing that he was not the one in control of the Emplate horde calling themselves 'The Rippers'. For the longest time, Richard was sure of that, but Alex's words made him start to wonder.

The second of those items was the fact that it was possible that the timeline Darrett had come from still existed. They had all thought the timeline didn't exist anymore since Darrett had rescued him and Yvette years ago. However, by that same logic, Clarice should not have come into existence, since her timeline had been thwarted as well.

The final thing that preyed on his mind was a legend he had read shortly after the school closed. It was one he didn't want to share with Yvette, with the threat it hinted at. It had spoken of a Dark Paladin, and that if the two met, only one would walk away. He didn't want to think about that, and if this was linked to what Alexandra had said she heard, it worried him.

But those thoughts were put out of his mind, since he needed to get in touch with Graylon. The reporter would be the best person to help with the upcoming task. He also hoped that asking her to get in touch with Graylon would take her mind off this quirk related to her powers. "Since we got on the topic of Graylon, can you get in touch with him? I have a matter that he might be best to handle."

He watched as the young lady blinked for a moment, and then asked. "What exactly is the problem, since it may take him time to respond. He is always researching a lead when he gets it."

He nodded, understanding what Alexandra was hinting at. However, he was sure that when Graylon would hear the name, and since the request was coming from him, he'd honor it. "I know you are aware of Eloise and her arrival here." He waited as she nodded, and then continued. "Her father is coming here, and they both are mutants blessed with an extended lifespan. He is also the French Ambassador and will draw attention when he arrives."

He watched as Alexandra nodded. "Indeed. Every reporter in the country will flock to meet him. I'm sure Graylon will even flock to him."

Richard knew better why that was. Ambassador Levenque had a mutant charisma as well as extended life. "I'm sure of it. However, I want Graylon to get the Ambassador here without anyone spotting him. If he can do that, I'll see what I can do to let him have and exclusive interview. Just try to pass on that the Ambassador hasn't seen his daughter in a long time. This is the kind of thing that should remain private."

He watched as Alexandra nodded. "I'll phone him right away, and let him know. I'm sure he can manage something to distract other press hounds. Besides, he knows you cut us both a break."

He nodded in agreement. "Yes. I'm sure that if things had gone differently, it might have been disastrous. If he has any questions, he can call me. As for right now, I need to check in on our other guest. I have a bad feeling that something might happen."

He knew that Alexandra understood which guest he was referring to when she said, "You mean that Arisa gal." He nodded and watched as she concentrated for a moment, and finally said, "I don't think you have to worry. I can hear Kiana talking with her right now."

He nodded to Alex and headed to where they were holding Arisa. He hoped he didn't let on that he was worried the two were facing one another. He was sure Arisa didn't have the strength to summon another demon now. His concern had been that Kiana might do something rash, since they still weren't sure she could be tried by normal justice for her crimes. He just hoped he could get down there in time.

* * *

IX. Arisa

* * *

Arisa Shimanouchi stood in the cell she was in. She could tell the room must have been an actual dungeon in the past, and part of it still looked it. That didn't bother her all that much, nor the fact that the cell somehow hampered her mystical powers. Right now the only thing bothering her was her cousin, Kiana Asahara, standing outside the cell, looking at her with contempt. She had no love for her cousin, since the girl had been hunting her down. However, she was sure this would only be a temporary delay in goals. In fact, as she thought about it, she was sure she could manipulate her cousin into doing something to release her.

She started hatching her plan as her cousin spoke. "I hope you're enjoying it in there. It's going to be your home until Lord Cale figures out where you'll see justice for what you have done." That was the opening she needed. She was sure she could make her cousin slip up by stating the simple truth.

She sneered at her cousin, and then laughed. "That's going to be a long wait. No one will be willing to try me, saying I used demons to kill people. People don't even want admit demons exist. They think they are all the ideas of fiction. Besides, the way I killed your father, they would only think that I'm insane, and I'd never go to prison." In her mind, she had already planned out her escape from those places they placed the mentally challenge. She also knew it would work since she did it once before.

She did keep her mind on the here and now as she noticed her cousin had caught the one statement. "What do you mean by the way you killed him'? Was there something special about his death.?"

Arisa smiled, glad that her cousin took the bait. She was going to enjoy this. She got as close as she could to the barrier separating them, and calmly said, "His death was part of a very important ritual. It was a ritual to give better mastery of the dark powers to its caster."

She enjoyed the rage that came across Kiana's face. It told her she had pushed the right buttons to cause her cousin to become irrational. She also knew that her cousin would try to control that anger, since she knew when she got angry, she'd do something she shouldn't. However, she was not going to let her cousin calm down.

She smirked again, before calmly saying her next words. "You know what made the ritual work better. He started begging and pleading for me to spare his life. He had gone from great hero, to a sniveling coward. Such a huge fall for such a great and noble warrior. Such a huge fall from grace only made me so much more stronger." She punctuated her last statement with a laugh.

It was at that moment she could tell that her cousin could no longer contain her anger. It was the moment she was counting on, and was ready for. She knew she could take her cousin in a fight, since Kiana didn't have her sword with her. She also had other escape methods ready if she used any spells. All she needed was a way out, and she knew how Kiana would give that to her.

* * *

X. Kiana

* * *

Kiana was livid after hearing everything her cousin told her about her father's death. She was sure that most of it was a lie, since she could not picture her father begging and pleading for his life. She looked right in to Arisa's cell, and through clenched teeth said, "You lie!"

The laugh her cousin gave just made her angrier. "Nope. He begged and pleaded, but in the end, it was not going to work. He died, and I unlocked untold amounts of dark powers. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to use them all yet, but just think what I might unlock with all the do-gooders here."

That upset Kiana even more. It even made her wish they could get her cousin out of here to see justice, but she understood Lord Cale's point. No authorities would be able to get her behind bars where she belonged. She just wished something could be done to properly keep her from doing only more harm to anyone.

In that moment, she remembered something. There was a banishing spell to remove demons from the earthly plane or something similar. She looked over at her cousin and decided that it would be the only way she would get justice. She turned her attention to her cousin. "I finally know what needs to be done. This will be the only way you'll get punished for what you've done."

She started to chant the spell, but was surprised when she heard Lord Cale shout. "Stop it right now." She turned to face him, only to see him motioning her over to the door. She also noticed that he appeared to be very upset. She didn't know why, but she was sure it couldn't have been because of what she was about to do. It would have been the only way to guarantee justice was done.

Once she was out of the room, she watched as he looked at her and finally spoke with a stern tone. "I heard what you started to say in there, and it is not the best course of action. It won't guarantee what you want done."

Kiana put her hands on her hips and looked her mentor right in the eye. "How can you be certain? She killed my father, all to boost her own powers, and she did it a way the courts won't honestly convict her with. This is the only way."

She was stunned when he shook his head. "No, it's not. I know the spell you were going to use, and it would not have led to justice. It would have sent her away to another dimension, and she probably knows how to get back. I know this from experience."

She was taken aback by that statement. She had never thought he had used the spell at all. She didn't even think anyone outside her homeland had known about the spell. She looked at him, and wanted an answer. "How did you know about the spell?"

She was stunned when he sighed, and the spoke. "About five years ago, when we were in America, we were attacked by Emplate, the being you helped fight off over a week ago. At that time, he was going to do the same to me, except during the fight, I took on his powers and knew that same spell. I ended up sending him away, and now, he returned. I had a feeling it would be same with your cousin, and that might make her too much stronger for the next time."

After hearing that, Kiana had a new understanding of Lord Cale. He had experiences to draw upon in his decisions, and also the insight to know the possible consequences of his actions. She also had an understanding of how powerful a foe the school faced, since he came back stronger after being sent away. However, now she had a feeling that they were being watched. She thought it might be her cousin, but they were now out of visual and audio range. So if her instincts were right, she wanted to know who was watching them, and who they worked for.

* * *

XI. Marcus

* * *

Marcus St. Croix stood quietly, thankful that he had the device that mimicked his father's ability to stand out of synch with reality. It was one ability he hoped to have when he got older. It would make it better for spying on his father's enemies, since he knew the device could fail.

It would be bad if it failed now, since he was spying on the person who sent his father away. He also didn't want to be found out now since he and the girl, whose name he heard to be Kiana, were talking about the spell that sent his father away. It was obvious to him they were talking about sending his father away again, and if they caught him, they would do the same to him.

Despite the risk, he was able to verify a message his aunt relayed to his father. The girl whom they were told was able to control demons had been captured, and that she wasn't a mutant. That was one ability that he had already developed. He also noticed that the Kiana girl wasn't a mutant either. Maybe that would be information his father would be able to use.

With that information, he left, and started heading back to the door he arrived in, using D.O.A's invention. That device allowed them to appear using any door they choose. In turn, it meant unlimited access, which his father already used. After their last plan backfired, they did more spying like this, to make sure they could find a way to defeat their foes. So far, he hadn't found any weaknesses to exploit, other than the obvious ones his father already knew.

During his time spying, he was able to discover some interesting things about someone who had recently arrived. The most amazing fact was the one that was in the room next to where the 'door' was. He had seen the guy was dead, but he could see their power was in full effect, working to restore them. He was sure his father would like to have him as a captive.

As he passed through the hallway that was near the 'door', he took note of a little girl walking around. She was obviously younger than him, which meant to him she wasn't a threat. He could tell she was also a mutant, whose powers hadn't even surfaced. He debated of at least attacking her for a snack, but it would give away that he was there.

However, as he passed by her, something strange had happened. He was sure the cloaking device was still working, but he paused when the little girl just said "Hi." He double checked the device and could see it was still active, so he was hoping the girl was talking to someone else. He glanced over his shoulder, and was surprised to see the girl looking straight at him.

Before she could say anything else, he bolted. He had been seen, unsure how, but it had happened. He didn't hear her follow, but he did hear her saying, "Wait." He wasn't about to wait, especially as he was so close to the 'door'. He was glad that the door would automatically close once he stepped through. He was also thankful she wasn't following, since he knew it would cause problems. He then quickly turned, and passed through the 'door' to safety.

* * *

XII. Marius

* * *

Marius St. Croix silently watched as his son ran back into the workshop of his servant, D.O.A. The way his son had entered made him worry, as if something had gone wrong. One the 'door' was closed, he looked at his son, and asked the key question. "Did you get discovered?"

He waited until his son relax and answered. "I'm not sure. As I was coming back, a little girl apparently spoke to me, but I'm not certain if she saw me. However, I can confirm what Aunt Claudette told you. Her one minion is there, and I think they were about to banish her as well."

Marius closed his eyes for a moment, to consider what his son was telling him. Personally, he considered it unlikely that Richard would remember the spell that was cast, in full, since it wasn't his in the first place. He was also sure his foes knew it wasn't a guaranteed way to be rid of him. The only surefire way for any of his foes to be rid of him, was to kill him, and he was certain none of them would do that.

He opened his eyes again, and looked at his son again. "Anything else of interest?" He did hope there was more information than finding out his sister's minion was Cale's prisoner. He had seen the images of others arriving at the school, including old members of Generation X, and a girl that looked very similar to Yvette.

He watched as his son nodded. "Near where I arrived, there was another room with a body in it. The body looked dead, but it gave off an aura like a mutant power was at work. From what I could tell, his power was self resurrection." That was very interesting to hear. A mutant with a power like that could provide endless meals.

Marius then nodded at his son. "You did very well, Marcus, despite the fact that I didn't really want you to take this chance. Since you are still young, I may not send you out again, but you did prove you can handle it, so another spying mission may come to you." He could tell his son was happy about that.

He then looked over at D.O.A., and gave him a stern look. "Did something happen to your cloaking device that a little girl could see him?" His servant had been with him a long time, and he was hoping that the little man had not started failing him.

He watched as D looked it over, the smile never leaving his face, before finally giving his verdict. "Nothing looks wrong. The only things I could think of is that either the little girl has a mutant power developing very young, or that small children can see through the cloak."

Neither scenario sat well with him, but he also knew it was probably unavoidable. He headed for the door, and said, "Summon everyone together. We need to make our plans for the next assault. Hopefully, our next attack will give us some victory." He then headed out, and led the way back to his current throne room. With all the new information discovered, he wanted to take everything into play, and even have rewards for his followers.

* * *

XIII. Vincentte

* * *

Vincentte drifted through the halls, thinking about what had happened during the last encounter with the Master's favorite targets. It had not gone well, and he started to think that the master wasn't thinking his plans through. He was also aware that the Master had obviously been away too long.

He was sure the boss was coming up with a new plan, but he was certain he might be able to do better. He had heard the summons earlier, and decided not to go. No doubt that he was formulating a new plan to capture his former prey. However, Vincentte had a better idea.

He made his way to his quarters, making his plans. He had a plan, and he felt it was finally the time to act on it. It had been in the works for years, ever since the Master had ordered them to recapture Yvette. After her escape, the Master had gone to lengths to recapture her, but even told the others that if they had done it, she would be theirs.

He had long thought about what he would do with her, especially after she'd shown control over her powers. She was now a very beautiful woman, and he wanted her. He was sure in his gaseous form, he could subdue her and then make her his. However, he needed to strike at the right time.

As he thought on that, he also thought how easily he could kill all those who were at the mall, including the ones not in the store. He was certain that they had all worked together to escape. Not a one of them should have been able to cause him the pain that had hurt so much since that day. The only thing that made him put it out of his mind was the voice assuring him he was doing the right thing.

He started to laugh as the voice told him to ignore his master, and start putting his plan in to motion. He could even picture his victory, with Emplate bowing to him, while Yvette looked blankly out as his concubine. The others would be dead, and nothing could stop him from what was his.

He stopped laughing when he heard a knock, and then heard D.O.A. say, "Vincentte, the Master wants us all in the assembly room, and pronto. He has a plan, and wants to make sure everyone knows and trains for their part."

Vincentte grumbled and then opened the door. As he looked at D.O.A., he could picture the mutant dead at his hands, but knew he would need him soon. He then just nodded, and left his room. "Understood. I'm sure he'll succeed this time." As he continued down the hall, he could only think about his plans, and how they would succeed, where all of Marius's had failed.

* * *

XIV. Nathaniel

* * *

Nathaniel Essex, known as Mr. Sinister to most, stood atop a hill overlooking the Cale Institute. He was certain that Lady Cale had brought back his one quarry by now. He was still unsure of how she had arrived in America so quickly, especially when he found out she had never bought a plane ticket. Of course, there was always the chance she took a company jet, since he was aware of the Cale's wealth, but it seemed unlikely.

Luckily, this allowed him an opportunity he had long put off, mainly due to his allegiance to Apocalypse. Due to the long standing fight between the Cale family and Apocalypse, he had kept from following the Cale family and their genetic make-up. It was true they were not the Summer's clan, however there was great potential in them. He knew of Lord Cale's powers, and learned of the powers of Lady Cale. The combination of the two could lead to very powerful mutants. Also, the longevity of the Levensque clan would make a nice thing to factor in.

Again, he looked out at the school, and smiled. In that building was the potential for one of the greatest mutant families, one that might rival the Summers. He then wondered what had brought Lord and Lady Cale together. Were they destined to meet, or was it by chance? If it was something they were destine for, he wished he would have had a hand in it.

He put that thought aside, as he started to formulate his plan. He wanted to figure what would be the best way to test that potential, and to see what might have happened if the Cale's DNA went to another mutant, and what the results might be. He also had to know if he had a variety of powers available to him.

Deep down, he knew they wouldn't do it voluntarily. He would need to lure them into his lair. A lair he would have to prepare, since for so many years, he had to deny it. He inwardly cursed Apocalypse, and then returned to his lair. There was much preparation to do, and he hoped he had a good deal of time to prepare. If all went well, he would soon be able to test the DNA of the Cale family, and even the Levenque family.

* * *

Authors Notes

* * *

To those of you who have been following X-Knights, I still have more planned. This chapter hints to some big changes that will impact future chapters.

Referenced in this chatper are a few events of the Cale Storyline story. One of those are the events of Iron X. That is the 14th full story of the Cale Storyline, where Sequel, Balam aka Christy, and Canon get introduced. The other events mentioned are from the story Win Some, Lose Some, which is the 13th full story of the Cale Storyline

As in the previous chapter, there may be a major confrontation coming, but that is still up in the air. For right now, it may be avoided.

Tasha, Kiana, Graylon, Arisa are all characters created by Mike N.

Christy, Kevin Dallas, and Eloise are all characters created by my friend Kyrokuo8

End Chapter.


	24. The Person You Know

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 24: The Person We Know

* * *

I. Graylon

* * *

Graylon Walsh walked through the lobby at Heathrow Airport. It was one of the busiest airports in England, and as a result it was also a waiting spot for the press. It was one of his typical waiting spots if he knew someone famous was coming in. He would be like other press hounds, lingering around the lobby, waiting for a hint at where the person would show up.

It had been almost like that the day he ran into Lord Richard Cale, Lady Yvette Cale, and their guests, one of which being Sean Cassidy. He had been ready to do a story, but had been surprise when nothing had recorded. He realized now that it had to of been the doing of someone close to Richard Cale, but as it turned out, Richard Cale kept some things secret for a reason.

He was benefiting from one of those, since Richard had told him he had no intentions of turning Alexandra, his faithful assistant since he met her, over to the authorities. He had also benefited in getting information in a more legitimate way. However, this was to be the first time he could scoop tons of people, but he had to help get someone discretely to the Cale Institute.

He knew it would not be easy, especially when he heard the person's name. Ambassador Jean Levenque, the French ambassador. He had known that where ever the Ambassador would show up, people would flock around him. It was as if the man had charisma as a mutant power, which Graylon now knew was a fact. He also knew the man rarely gave out interviews to the press.

Luckily, Graylon wasn't to get an interview right now. His task was to get the Ambassador out of the airport unseen, and to the school. The reason, as he was told, was to see his long lost daughter, which Graylon thought might make a good story. However, since he had been following the Cale's, he was sure it would not be a simple story.

He soon realized how difficult his task would be when a familiar voice spoke. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Graylon Walsh. Are you here for the same scoop everyone else heard?"

He turned to face the speaker, and wasn't surprised by the ugly sneer marring the otherwise lovely face of Angelina Pond, his only true rival. On many stories, he had scooped her, and it was obvious to him that she must have thought he was here on another story. He took a practiced breath, and responded. "That depends. I've heard a few rumors involving people showing up linked to the Cale's"

He heard a snort of laughter coming from Angelina. "The Cale's. Everyone knows they are your favorite target. It's no surprise that you seem to have no clue about Jean Leveneque coming in. I'm sure you've heard of him. The French Ambassador that it seems no one knows anything about. Everyone is here to try to get an interview with him, and for once, you are out of the loop."

He let a sad look cross his face, but he had been aware. The only difference was he also knew were the Ambassador was going to be arriving at. Now he had to think fast, since everyone had been tipped off about the Ambassador's arrival. He noticed that all the reporters were near the gates where flights from France were coming in, but the Ambassador was not on one of those. He was arriving on a private flight, due to the nature of his visit.

After a quick moment, he saw an opportunity. Angelina's cameraman was following her, and he was struggling with the equipment. If it would bump something, he knew every security guard would come running, and all the reporters would be on the new scoop in moments. For a brief moment, he quietly asked for forgiveness for what he was about to do, and then neared the one sensor.

With a brief, unnoticeable, flash, the sensors went off like crazy, and everyone flocked around the cameraman and Angelina. Just as he thought, it would cause the distraction he needed. Then, as the crowd gathered, he melted into the crowd, and disappeared for the area he needed to be in.

* * *

II. Jean

* * *

Jean Leveneque sat quietly as the plane came to a stop. The flight to England had been thankfully uneventful, which he needed after his last stop. As he had been doing for a while, he was terminating his Asylum 7 programs, and as of recently, he had found many of them were acting on their own. Some of them had even joined together under the leadership of one he had thought been loyal to him.

He then looked over at his bodyguard, one of his truly loyal personnel. Once the plane had stopped, he looked at the man, and calmly said, "Are you ready for this, Rage?" He did not understand why the bodyguard started using this codename, but it seemed to fit better than Equilibrium.

He watched as the man shifted a bit, apparently nervous. "I can't say I am entirely prepared for this encounter. If I remember the incident in Japan correctly, Cale was the enemy. Isn't it unwise to be going to his home now."

Jean nodded for a moment, and carefully choose his words. "If things were the same as they were back then. However, I had learned many things. One, Cale wasn't the person we were told. Two, we have been in communications since then, which helped lead to the end of Asylum 7. And most importantly, my daughter has returned, and is safe at their school."

He got up then, and was followed by Rage as they headed for the door. As they started to disembark, Rage quietly said, "That all may be true, but a stop here may cause those that helped the Cale's back in Japan to catch up with us. They have been pursuing us since then, and they may try something while we are here. Once the press knows were are here, they will know where you are, as well as…"

Jean cut off his bodyguard. He knew the press would be a problem, but when he spoke with Richard Cale on the phone, he was assured the press wouldn't be a problem. Now that they were leaving the plane, they saw no sign of the press at all. He was stunned. The press were always there, in part due to his mutant charisma. The fact that no one, except one young man, was waiting amazed him.

As they neared, he heard the young man speak. "Ambassador Leveneque, I'm a friend of Lord Richard Cale. He asked that I get you to the school, before any of the news people find out you've arrived. I have a car ready to get you out of here."

He was glad that Richard had thought ahead on that, but was stunned when Rage spoke up. "I do not think he's being honest with us, sir. I have heard of him. He is a reporter named Graylon Walsh."

For a brief moment, a scowl crossed his face, thinking they had gotten fooled, but before he could say anything, the man responded to the statement. "Your bodyguard is correct, sir, but I am being honest about why I am here. Richard had asked me to do this, since he was sure that other reporters would be around. I had set up a bit of a distraction for them, and if we move quick, we can get you out of here."

Before Rage could protest, Jean looked at the man. He was sure his own powers were affecting the man, and was certain the man would tell him the honest truth. "If that is the honest truth, did Richard promise you anything for doing this?"

He was pleasantly stunned when the man shook his head, and said, "He did not promise anything, since he said the important thing was to reunite you with your daughter. While I would be honored with an interview, due to the matters at hand, as well as a better understanding of Lord Cale, I will not pursue that avenue. Now, let's get going before people find out you arrived."

Jean nodded, and followed the reporter. "That is the best advice I've heard to day. Maybe, Mr. Walsh, I will give you that interview later, since you were honest." He then followed as the man lead both him and Rage to a car. They both got in, knowing that their luggage would be brought to the Cale's after some time. He didn't worry, since the most important person in his life would be soon back in his life.

* * *

III. Richard

* * *

Lord Richard Cale stood patiently in the main hall, dressed nicely, but causal. It was the way he had everyone dress, since it would look better. It was not everyday that the students got to meet such a dignitary. Honestly, since he had been advisor to the King, he had met many, so this was normal. However, he noticed that some of the others got all decked out. Jubilation and Everett were dressed in the nicest outfits they had brought with. Davis, Paige, and most of the students were dressed casually, but in very nice outfits, almost close to formal dress.

There were very few people missing from the room, but Richard knew why. He had asked Sean to watch all the little children in another room, keeping Eloise there so she would not get overwhelmed. Another person that was missing was Christy, but he understood why. For the longest time, she and Kevin Dallas, had been fighting the guest who would be arriving. They been unaware of the change in him since the incident in Japan.

He took a deep breath and then turned towards the door, wondering how soon they would arrive, and decided to remind everyone of the protical. He walked towards the door as he spoke. "Alright. I want to remind everyone again of the seriousness of this matter. First and foremost, our visitor is an Ambassador, and deserved the respect that title holds."

He then glanced at those who had gone on the fateful trip to Japan. He knew most of them now accepted that he had changed since that trip, but he want to stress that there was to be no grudges. "For those of us who have met him before, please remember that things have changed in the last five years."

He then glanced at the students, who all looked a little nervous, but some had grouped themselves into couples. Ever since the school had opened, he had noticed that some of the students had paired up, but right now wasn't the time to address it. He was well aware that Prince James was the only one who had any experience with diplomats. "Students, if things go well, it is possible that the Ambassador's daughter could be joining the school. I hope that you spoke with Prince James about how to act."

He smiled as they all nodded, and was amazed when Kiana spoke up. "Sir, I know you may be unaware of this, but my father had been a diplomat when alive. I've been helping as well. However, what are we to say about the other guests?" He wasn't sure how to answer that question, other than to say nothing at this point. It would be something to approach directly if only those guests would make themselves known.

Luckily, he didn't have to dwell on it at the moment, as Alexandra quickly said, "Sir, Graylon just said that they are pulling up to the front door now." He nodded, and watched as everyone made sure they were in the places they had taken when they first entered the hall. He then approached the front door, his wife next to him.

In a moment, he spoke to his wife, Yvette, in their psi-link. _"Do you think we will have to defuse anything before it starts?"_ It was his biggest concern, knowing that Jean may have one of his bodyguards with, and if it was the one from Japan, there would be problems.

He felt his wife squeeze his hand as she responded. _"If it is the same guy, we will have to. Clarice seems to be expecting something from him."_ He started to wonder if she was also passively scanning the minds of the others. Or would she be scanning the minds of their arriving guests. He honestly hoped it wasn't that.

Soon, a knock on the door told them their guests had arrived. He opened the door, and Ambassador Jean Levenque came in. Richard smiled and then started the introduction he had prepared. "Welcome to the Cale Institute, Ambassador, Levenque. I hope your trip here was uneventful. Allow me to introduce to you the faculty and students of the school." He was about to continue, but stopped when he saw the two figures that followed. One was Graylon Walsh, who Richard had asked to get them here before any press could bother them. The other, however, was a figure he was already familiar with. The last time he had seen the man was in Japan, over five years ago. He did not recall the name, but he did remember that Clarice had fought with the man, and he could already pick up on the fact that neither the huge man, nor his bodyguard had forgotten the encounter.

* * *

IV. Clarice

* * *

Clarice Ferguson-Everett felt herself go on high alert when she saw the tall man enter. She had totally expected to see the big man, especially since she heard the Ambassador was coming. She also noticed that the big man appeared to be preparing for a rematch. However, before either of them could even speak, she was stunned when the Ambassador said, "Rage, remember what I told you. They are not our enemies."

She watched as the man relaxed a bit, but still watched her. "Understood sir. I shall let my animosity go." She rolled her eyes at that statement, but held her tongue. She still remembered how he talked during the battle, claiming to be the peak of perfection.

She also noticed that Richard and Yvette were looking at her, and she knew what they might say. She quickly relaxed, and said, "I know, what the Ambassador said. We are not enemies." She then edged a little closer to her husband, but kept her eyes on Rage, as he appeared to be now known as.

In a moment, the incident seemed forgotten, as Ambassador Levenque said, "Thank you for the warm welcome, Richard. It looks like you've done well for setting up this school. I'm not surprised that you asked your friends from Generation X to help you." She then watched as he turned to face Jubilation and bowed. "Miss Lee, again I apologize for what happened to you back in Japan. I have done what I could to round up members of the group who had captured you, and bring them to justice."

She watched as Jubilation just nodded, and said, "That is appreciated. To be honest, I'm not too worried about it. Their plot was thwarted, and the person who had hired them was caught over five years ago." She then watched as her friend raised her hand. "Also, it's Mrs. Thomas now."

She watched as Ambassador Levenque raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wow, it is obvious I did not know that. I congratulate you on the blessed union. I do hope you'll have the joy of children soon." She blinked when she heard that, but then remembered why he said that, and why he was there.

She then watched as Yvette cut off a slight awkward moment, and motioned towards one of the doors. "Speaking of children, your daughter is waiting for you. If you'll come with us, we'll take you to her. She's actually with my 'father' and our kids."

Clarice was not surprised when a fatherly smile crossed the man's face. "Now that is good to know. I had heard you had children, Richard, and I would be honored to meet them." She was then surprised when he turned to the bodyguard, and gave some surprising orders. "Rage, I want to you to relax, and try to be social. Remember, time has given us a chance to reflect on the mistakes we made years ago. There is a lot to amend for. Maybe you can even tell them about some of the work we've been doing." With those last words, she saw her employers and friends leave the room with the Ambassador.

For a moment, there was an awkward silence, but it was finally broken when Everett spoke. "So what exactly have you been doing?" She could tell Everett was being a bit cautious as he spoke, and she could tell that she wasn't the only one unsure of Rage.

For a moment, she could have sworn that Rage was going to have a rude but sophisticated response. She was then surprised when he uncrossed his arms, and appeared a little at ease, as if Everett's tone had relaxed him a bit. "We have been working on shutting down the Ambassador's special programs. Apparently the incident in Japan made him want to correct his mistakes. Unfortunately, those that ran some of those facilities did not want to terminate their operations." She then noticed a slight smile cross Rage's face. "I was able to convince a few of them of their folly."

For a brief moment, she noticed that Rage was giving her a look. She could tell he wanted a rematch. She was willing to give him that, but she knew her orders on this matter. After a moment, she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, and her husband, Darrett spoke softly to her. "I know this will take some time, hun. I went through it for a while when I first arrived in this timeline." She took a deep breath, realizing he knew what she was going through. In fact, she was now sure she could resist that urge to have a rematch with Rage, even if he tried to goad her into it.

* * *

V. Sean

* * *

Sean Cassidy sat in the Cale's family room, watching over his grandchildren, Richard Cale III and Ashley Cale, as well as Joleen Ferguson-Everett, the daughter of Clarice and Darrett. They were all playing a game with Eloise Levenque, the young lady who his adopted daughter had brought to the school almost a week ago. He was still amazed how much Eloise looked like Yvette. If one didn't know better, the two looked almost alike.

Thinking about their similar appearance also remind Sean how Yvette had came into their lives so many years ago. He remembered that day, since it was one of the first days he was head of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. On that day, they had their first encounter with Emplate, and later found Yvette, then known as Penance, left on their doorstep by Gateway. He still didn't know how Gateway got her there, since at that time, Yvette kept her powers active all the time. Even communicating with her had been tricky, until Richard had arrived at the school. After that, Yvette quickly became the lovely lady she was seen as now.

He shook his head as he came out of that memory, and noticed that Yvette's influence on Eloise only made it more difficult to tell the difference as she walked in with Richard, and Ambassador Jean Levenque. During his time with X-Corp, he had never met the Ambassador, but he knew of the man from what Richard and Yvette had told him of the trip to Japan. Seeing the three enter, he could see the outfits both Yvette and Eloise wore were almost identical as well, except for the difference in color, and that Eloise's measurements had to be slightly different from Yvette's.

He quickly stood up, hoping he was showing the respect the man deserved as Ambassador, when the man took a look at him and frowned. Before he could ask why, the man gave him the reason why he frowned. "What is the former leader of that vigilante group, the X-Corps, doing here? Do not tell me he is teaching here."

He was about to respond when Yvette looked the Ambassador right in the eye. "He is not teaching here. He is my adoptive father. Before the X-Corps, he was our teacher at the school. After my husband and I were nearly abducted, he adopted me. Years later, when our school closed its doors, he ended up leading that group, and nearly died when Mystique slit his throat." He nodded with that last statement, still feeling a twinge of pain where the scar still was. He had been lucky that someone had gotten him to a hospital, and that they came to his aid.

He also noticed a shocked look cross the face of the Ambassador's face, which was replaced by a slightly hurt look. "I'm sorry. I had not heard anything about Mystique, but I am aware of her past. Had I known she had gotten involved with your group, I would not have reacted as I had. Can you forgive an old man's foolishness?"

Sean nodded and smiled. "It's all right. Yur forgiven for that, since it was my own foolishness that lead me to X-Corps in the first place. I'm just glad that my foolishness didn't cost me meeting my grandchildren." With those words, he noticed that the Ambassador nodded, and then walked over to Eloise, who embraced him.

As the two hugged, Sean heard Richard walk over to his side, and softly say, "I think you reminded him of what was important, Sean. I think all that he had done over the years was linked to Eloise's disappearance. In fact, one of the things I picked up from him during our first encounter was his advanced age." Sean nodded with that statement, realize that the loss of a loved one made people do very reckless things. He just wondered if the Ambassador would be able to make amends for his mistakes.

* * *

VI. Christy

* * *

Christy Laine looked in on the scene that was now unfolding before her. It was not something she had expected in the foe she and Kevin had pursued for so long. Here was the man she had once described as pure evil, and he was doing something totally good. He was embracing his own daughter, who had been gone for a long time. In fact, if not for her conversation with Richard Cale prior, she would never have believed it.

As she looked on the scene, she noticed movement near the door she was peeking in from. She almost jumped in surprise when the door opened, but relaxed when it was Richard Cale opening it. "Did you want to join in on this touching reunion?" Before she could even answer, he held up his hand and said, "Before you do, I should speak with the Ambassador first."

She watched as he turned back to the room, and cleared his throat. She remained back, but heard Canon say, "Richard, is there something you wanted to say?" From the tone of his voice, she could tell there was kindness in it, like there was to be no fear for whatever was to be said.

She almost gasped when Richard told Canon the news. "I take it you remember our first encounter back in Japan." There was a pause for a moment, and she tried to see if Canon nodded. "Well, you are also aware that we had received some help from two who had pursued you. At that time, as a reward for helping us, I had allowed them free stay at the apartments in the company buildings. As it turned out, they had arrived here before you did, thinking you were coming to England for another reason."

She waited for something bad to happen, and was stunned when Canon just said, "I totally understand. I trust you had kept my identity from them during the whole time." She was still stunned when she noticed that his voice had no tone of anger in it.

She gasped when Richard made his next statement. "Yes, until earlier this week. After you said you would arrive to see Eloise, I felt it would be best to inform them about your identity, and your actions. The young lady, Balam as you might know her, took the news rather well, and seemed able to accept it." For a moment, she felt a bit proud at the statement Richard made about her. It was also something she had hoped other people could be, open-minded.

She waited until Canon made his next statement, wondering if this was the moment she should talk to him. "That is nice to know. Has Mr. Dallas been told yet, or did he reject the notion?"

She decided to enter the room at that point. It was the best way for her to answer his question, but she also kept her distance from Richard, just incase his power might lock in on hers. "He hasn't been told yet. The Cale's had been attacked shortly after we had arrived here, and Kevin was killed. I do hope you remember what that means with his power." She watched as he nodded. She then looked at him, wanting to confirm the one thing she had been told. "So you've been shutting down all your Asylum 7 operations."

She remained silent as he nodded. "Yes. I'll admit that it started shortly after the incident in Japan, when I found out I had been manipulated by another. Since then, and I'm certain that my encounter with Lord Cale played a major factor in my current actions, I started shutting Asylum 7 down entirely. Some of those were more accepting of it than others. Thankfully, I had Rage to help with most of them."

For a moment, Christy did a double take as the words sank in. In that moment, she also noticed a sense of unease going through the room. She quickly focused on the last words, and then said. "What did you mean by most of them? Don't tell me that some escaped."

She watched as Canon nodded. "Yes, in fact I wanted to warn all of you about the one. His name is Dio." Christy gasped when she heard the name, remembering all that Kevin had told her prior to one encounter with him. "I had a feeling you would remember him. He did not take the news well, and managed to rally a team to fight me. It had been a tough battle, but the base was destroyed, however Dio and his followers were able to flee."

Christy let out a sharp intake of breath. "That means he could be anywhere you'd been connected to." She looked at Richard, and said, "Lord Cale, I'm beginning to think that Kevin and I should extend our stay, especially if Canon will allow his daughter to remain here. Kevin knows how to handle Dio, and I'm sure he'll pass the knowledge on to you, if you'll allow us to stay." She watched as Richard nodded, and then noticed that Canon was nodding as well. Now, all she needed to do was convince Kevin, in a few days when he would be revived.

* * *

VII. James

* * *

Prince James still lingered in the main hall, however most of the students moved up to the top of the stairs. There was something a little unnerving about the Ambassador's bodyguard, and he could see it was bothering his one teacher. That aside, he still found himself thinking about the Ambassador, and how everyone seemed to focus on the man at the moment he entered the door. In fact, even though the Ambassador was in another room, he still felt like he had to look at the man.

The moment of silence was broken when Tasha Lewis, the most beautiful girl he had ever meet, spoke. "He must have some sort of mutant charisma. I couldn't keep my eyes off him, and neither could anyone else."

He nodded in agreement. "You know, I don't think my father ever met him. That power would make him very hard to forget. I believe this is the first time I had ever seen him." He heard almost everyone give a sound of agreement.

He was stunned when Anne just said, "I've seen him before, and so has Kevin and Amy, although I don't think they realized it." He turned to face Anne, wondering what she was talking about, when his fellow student just said, "I have a tape of a show that had Lord and Lady Cale on it, a few years ago. And the Ambassador was there."

He heard Tasha gasp at that revelation. "Wait, does it have anything to do with what he talked to Mrs. Thomas about?"

He was stunned as Kevin said, "The parts we saw had shown she had been abducted. We just never had a chance to ask Lady Cale about it. But after hearing them speak, I don't think the Ambassador had anything to do with it." Hearing those last words made Prince James feel certain that it was just a coincidence that the two were both there at the same time.

For a brief moment, all were quiet, and then Alexandra broke the silence. "You know, I once saw a portion of that online. It had shown all these ninjas running about, and one really stood out." He then watched as the newest girl there motioned towards the Ambassador's bodyguard. "The one that stood out looked to be as tall and built like him."

It was in that moment when Prince James could tell they were all reaching the same conclusion. He motioned them all around, and quietly said, "I'm beginning to think that …" He was about to say what conclusion he had come to, when the doorbell rang. At that moment, time seemed to stop. No one else was expected to arrive, which made him worry about who was waiting on the other side of the door.

* * *

VIII. Amy

* * *

Amy was stunned just like everyone else in the room. No one else was expected that day, just the Ambassador. At first, her mind jumped to what had to be the only logical conclusion. Since Lord Cale had asked Graylon Walsh to fetch the Ambassador, that meant a few reporters had followed. She start to head down towards the door, as one of the new teachers, Paige Guthrie, said, "Ah thought you were supposed to keep other reporters from finding out, Mr. Walsh?" The tone in her voice was so cold, she could have sworn it would freeze the air.

She then noticed a hurt look on Walsh's face. "There is no way they found out and followed us. Before I picked up the Ambassador, I used my own powers to cause a scene." She paused for a moment, as everyone gasped at the news. She started to move again when Walsh continued. "Yes, I'm a mutant. I can generate electricity. It's been enough to ruin some tapes and such. I'm ashamed to say that I had to make it appear that my biggest rival's cameraman was hiding something suspicious on him." She could then see he was very sincere about that.

When she reached the bottom of the steps, she heard the bodyguard speak. "His accounts are accurate. I did not notice anyone following us on our way here. So, there is no way it is a reporter. A majority are not that good at following people." She then watched as he gave an apprehensive look to the door. "There is a chance that we were followed by one of the people upset with the Ambassador's current activities."

She was not surprised when Monet St. Croix, another of her teachers just said, "And what exactly was the Ambassador up to in the first place. If it's something that we should all know about, that should have been brought up the second you got in here, maybe ever before that."

All of a sudden, everyone was talking, and no one seemed to notice her. She quietly made her way to the door, as she heard more words exchanged. Some thought it might be a reporter, and others were wondering about what the bodyguard said. No one stopped until she reached the door, and opened it.

In a brief moment, all was silent, until they all saw who was behind the door. It was one of the local police officers. She wasn't sure if it was one of the ones investigating the body found there or not, since they were all kept away from the scene. After an awkward silence, the officer nodded to her, and asked, "Excuse me, is Lady Cale around?"

Amy nodded. "Yes, but she is currently with someone. I can have her summoned, if it's urgent." She then glanced back at those in the room, and she noticed some worried looks. All the teachers seamed worried, but none more so than Davis Skinur. She also noticed that Kevin looked a bit more nervous now. She could have sworn that he thought the officer was here about the visitor apparently killed during the battle on Sunday.

Before she could say anything, she heard Tasha in her mind. _"I already called Lady Yvette. She is on her way, but I'm getting a bad feeling about this."_ She had to agree with her classmate. Something seemed odd since she had a feeling the officer here wasn't the lead officer on the case. In fact, she started to fully wonder about this officer, since he wasn't high ranking either. It was almost as if he was there for another reason.

* * *

IX. Yvette

* * *

Yvette could not believe what Tasha had told her telepathically. It was not like she wasn't expecting this after hearing of Angelo's death. She had been trying to think of how to say she had not been around, without saying she was out of the country. Given how she and Anne had traveled, she was sure it would raise many more questions, and with a murder, that was not needed.

As she entered the hall, she already picked up on the tension, especially from Davis and Kevin. She understood Davis's reason, but she was unsure why Kevin was worked up. She mentally calmed herself down, since it was possible that the tension might amplify her own nervousness at the moment.

When she reached the officer, she noticed that he turned to face her, and nodded. "Lady Cale, I apologize for the inconvenience of this, but this is relating to the body that was found on the grounds last week."

She nodded, which confirmed her thoughts on why the officer was here. "I had a feeling that was why you were here, but I don't think there is anything I can shed on the situation. I did not see who placed the body there." It was the truth, and since the discovery was in the morning, as she was told, she would have been asleep if she had been here.

She was relieved when the officer nodded. "Understood, ma'am, but there are still some questions. They still don't know how the body got there, since there was a lack of blood at the scene." Those words puzzled her. No one had told her that detail, but in her mind that told her he had not been killed on the grounds.

It also puzzled her why the officer was telling her this in front of everyone, unless they had cleared all of them as suspects. She crossed her arms in front of her, feeling that he was implying she was linked to the death. "I see. And why are you telling me this and not searching for the killer?"

She was impressed by the way the officer stayed calm. "Well, ma'am, there are some details that need to be answered. First off, the identity of the person appears to be someone who is listed as deceased. Second, there is the method that they think killed the man." For a brief moment, Yvette felt fear, but she would not let it show. Fear now would cause her to tense up, and the way the man was speaking, she was sure that her hand would appear to match the method used to kill Angelo.

She briefly nodded, and spoke before the man could say anything else. "I see. Well, if they wish to speak with me, I'll accompany you to the station." She noticed that both Darrett and Clarice were about to say something, but she spoke to them telepathically. _"I will be fine. If you come along, it might make them think I am guilty of a crime we all know I could not commit."_ She noticed that they nodded and remained at their spots.

She watched as the officer nodded, and then motioned to a police car. "Very well, ma'am. Please get in the vehicle, and I'll take you to the station. And, you don't have to worry, this is being kept discrete." She nodded, headed out, and got into the vehicle. However, deep down, Yvette felt there was something bad on the horizon. The feeling didn't go away as the vehicle started to move, and she didn't feel sure about her words to her friends, and bodyguards.

End Chapter.

* * *

Author's Notes

* * *

The incident in Japan references the Cale Storyline story Iron X. The events that Jubilee notes, involving the capture of the one who ordered her abduction, is mentioned in Class Dismissed of the Cale Storyline. Finally, the body was discovered in the chapter titled Gains And Losses.


	25. Bogus Bobbies

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 25: Bogus Bobbies

* * *

I. Yvette

* * *

Lady Yvette Cassidy Cale remained calm while she sat in the interview room of the police station. It was not easy, given the reason why she was in there. She had been called in because of a body that had been found on the school grounds when she was in America. It had been the body of her old school friend, Angelo Espinosa, whom she had not heard from in years. She had been shocked to hear it was his body that was found on the grounds.

She sipped the water that had been left for her, feeling she knew the real reason she was here. She was sure that being the only person at the school that had not been questioned about this at the time, someone thought she was the culprit. She knew this wasn't the case, but her alibi might raise too many questions. Any way she looked at it, she would have a hard time proving that she did not kill her old friend.

She blinked, and looked at the door when it opened. It had been the officer who had brought her to the station, and it appeared he had a folder in his hands. She also noticed something she had not noticed before. He had a Knights of Humanity pin On his lapel. That little pin told her a few things. The first was that she felt the officer was going to outright accuse her of killing Angelo. The second was that she had to be very careful what she did, more careful than usual. She was certain there was someone who would jump at this situation and exploit it, and it would most likely be the Knights of Humanity.

She watched as the officer placed the file on the table, and open in. It contained only pictures, but they were very gruesome. Angelo's powers had obviously let go, and he was a mess. There were slash marks all over his body, and if she had known better, she would have thought she had done it as well. However, she planed to maintain her self control. She looked at the officer, and calmly said, "This was the body found on our lawn."

She noticed a sneer appear on his face, as if he was waiting for that statement so he could start blaming her. He nodded and said, "Yes it was. This is the body of a dead mutie on your property." She could feel the hatred he put into that one word. In fact, the only people she ever heard use that word anymore were the hate groups. "In fact, it's the mutie you killed."

She willed herself to remain calm, since she did not want to activate her powers. In part, she knew how deadly her powers could be, and in part that she didn't want to ruin her outfit. The accusation he made was so outlandish that there was no way it could be true. She crossed her arms in front of herself, and just said, "There is no way I could have killed him. He was a friend of mine, one I haven't seen in years."

She noticed that the sneer didn't leave his face. Since they had come to England, they had learned the various ways people twisted the truth, and that groups like the Knights of Humanity were very good at it. "Really, then I'm sure you won't mind telling me where you were when the body was discovered." She went to answer, but realized she couldn't. Any alibi she could offer couldn't be verified, and if she said she was in America, that would raise more questions. She was trapped. In the past, she had been physically trapped, and mentally trapped, but this was the first time she was trapped by facts.

* * *

II. Constable Lucas

* * *

Constable Lucas smiled when he noticed the trapped look on Lady Cale's face. Ever since the Knights of Humanity had learned of the mutant Lord and Lady, they had been preparing to bring them down. The biggest difficulty was that Lord Cale, while advising the King, never did as they expected. For the longest time, the mutant made sure things didn't fully look pro-mutant. The leader of the group had even gotten all the info he could on both Lord and Lady Cale, and Constable Lucas had memorized everything.

He did not get to close to Lady Cale, since he was aware of her powers, but he started to tell her the facts. "First off, Lady Cale, I am already aware of your powers. I know that you have the ability to make your skin so sharp that you could cut through the wall with ease. That's why I'm keeping my distance from you. I'm also aware of the psychic powers you possess."

He glanced at her, and felt disappointed that she wasn't taking the bait. He knew if she attacked him, it would mean injury, but it would further their cause. He decided he needed to fully point the blame at her. They were still waiting on the coroner's report, but he was certain what it would show. "Since you are the one who caused them, I'm sure it's no surprise that the killing blows are human like claw marks. Just like the ones you are known to have when you have your powers active."

At that moment, he saw a surprised look on her face. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn she was actually surprised by the news. She even did a good job of making her voice sound surprised. "You are lying. There is no way I would have killed him. He was my friend." He could even hear a bit of anger in her voice, which he was certain was because she was found out.

Before he could say anything further, he heard the door to the interview room open, and he looked back to see the chief enter, and he apparently had the coroner's report. As the head officer came over, he said, "Sir, you'll be happy to know that I've almost have the case solved." He looked at Lady Cale again and gave a smirk, certain what the report would say.

He was stunned when the chief inspector just said, "I doubt it. The coroner found the time of death to be during the morning, the day prior to when the body was found. Also, in addition to the slash marks, there were signs that the victim was victimized by The Rippers. We have determined that Lady Cale has a solid alibi for that time."

Constable Lucas was stunned by those words. It could not be possible for the time of death to be correct. He also had not seen any evidence of a Ripper attack. If that were the case, it made him look bad as an officer, which would then ruin his credibility in the group. He needed to salvage this, before it was too late. The Knights of Humanity needed to prove the Cale's were what they said they were. Finally, the solution reached him, and he knew exactly what to do, and say. It involved some facts revealed by their newest members, the Lewis's.

* * *

III. Chief Constable Brahms

* * *

Chief Constable Brahms was thankful that the report cleared Lady Cale. He had been unnerved when Constable Lucas had decided to bring her in, on the pretense of asking questions. That feeling got worse when he noticed that the officer was leaving her in the interview room for a time. He had seen tactics like that before. It was a testament to Lady Cale that she didn't give in to those tactics. However, he was certain that the officer was upset by the news the coroner had given.

He decided he had to make up for his officer's lack of tact on this matter. He sat down, and looked at Lady Cale. He also figured she should know about the findings. "Lady Cale, the coroner had found that your friend had died when you were in a class. Once we had a time of death, I called the school, and they verified that. It was Mrs. Thomas who informed us of that."

He watched as she nodded and responded. "Well, I'm glad you were able to prove I was innocent. It seems your officer was not so willing to accept that." He glanced at the officer, who seemed to be thinking about something. However, he did hear what Lady Cale said after that. "I am shocked to hear that the Rippers are linked to this crime. The big question now is how did they lure our old friend to his death."

Chief Constable Brahms didn't have an answer to that one, but was shocked when Constable Lucas crossed his arms and said. "Oh please, you had the Rippers captured him after you had him abduct Tasha Lewis."

He quickly got up and looked at the other officer. "Now you know that wasn't the case. After Lord Cale told me about her arrival there, I called down to where she lived. Do you know what I found out?" He didn't see the officer make any sign of response, so he pushed on. "What I found out is a lot of contradiction. People claiming she's a bright quiet girl, but others saying she is a trouble maker. The odd thing is, she has no record, and her parents, who seem to call her a problem child, want her back claiming she was abducted. It seems to me she went to the school to get away from some horrid parents." It was that moment he noticed the pin on the man's lapel. He then looked the officer square in the eye. "Of course, if you decided to press this course of action, I'll be the first to report on your pin, which will make your group look very bad when I say how they support child abusers."

He watched as the officer started to fumble for his next words. He knew the man had no more words that would give him credibility. It was why most officers didn't support groups like the Knights of Humanity. Those that did usually ended up off the force, because of escapades like this one. However, he was sure that the next words this officer had to say would be ones he really didn't want to hear.

He was saved from that when another officer entered the room, keeping his head lowered. While the officer did not fully enter the room, he did notice the officer beckon him over. Something about that simple action made him worry. He quickly walked over to the officer, still trying to place this new officer. Once he was close enough, he softly asked, "What's wrong, officer?"

The man continued to look down, even as he answered his question. "Sir, a bomb has been found in the building. One officer is trying to disarm it, but…." He didn't need him to continue. This was a dangerous scenario, however, the officers, and the civilians had to be evacuated first. It was just luck that there was no one in the holding cell. He glanced over at Lady Cale, and knew she had to be escorted to safety. He glanced at the new officer again, and realized what he needed to do.

* * *

IV. Vincentte

* * *

Vincentte stood quietly as the lead policeman thought over what needed to be done. He had been observing everyone, and had even noticed a mutant or two amongst the police officers there. However, when he heard about the one going to get Yvette, he knew he had to act. It was just fortunate that another officer had the bomb.

He had figured they were working together, since those two officers had the same pins on their lapels. He wondered why the lead officer hadn't seen them before, but figured they had hid them. However, it did limit his time for a little fun before he took Yvette away.

He thought about his quarry again, and how he had been still focused on her, even after the escape. Yvette had truly become a blessed woman. It was part of the reason he wanted her so badly. The two things in his way were Richard Cale, her husband, and Emplate. While the later would only be annoyed at what he had done, he would have been rewarded for bringing Yvette back, the former, her husband, would hunt him down.

Now, however, he was going to get his reward regardless what happened, before Emplate would reclaim her. He just had to keep his face down. That way, she would not notice him until it was too late. He just needed to wait for the lead policeman to give the order he knew the man had no choice but to give. Finally, his patience was rewarded. "Alright, Officer Lucas, come with me. We need to get all the officers out of here. We can talk about your little lapse of judgment later, after this crisis has passed."

As the two officers passed him out of the room, the lead officer then said to him. "I want you to escort Lady Cale out of the building, and to safety. If she gets hurt, the media will have a field day." He nodded, letting the others leave the room. He watched them head towards the exit, but he remained in place for a moment. His view allowed him a chance to see the bomb, which appeared to be near a vent.

He looked at the officer working at it, and just like he had done, the officer kept his head down. It was the same officer that had brought the bomb in. He could tell the officer was busy trying to defuse the bomb. He had a feeling the officer was just acting, but if he drew attention to it, he'd loose the opportunity.

He quickly returned to the room, and closed the door. He also silently locked the door, remembering that the room was soundproof, unless the intercom was on. That detail he did not notice, but since the only officer in the building now was the one at the bomb, he was sure the man wasn't paying attention.

He was quickly brought round to the fact that someone had noticed the closed door. It was the one person he figured would notice the door being closed, Yvette. He heard her stand up out of the chair she was in. "If there is a bomb here, we need to get out of here." At that moment, he heard a bit of fear in her voice, and in a moment, he was sure she would feel more.

He turned to face her, and slowly lifted his head. As he did so, he just said, "Don't worry, Yvette. We'll be out of here before the bomb blows. However, we do have some time to get reacquainted." At this point, he was looking at her, and he saw her gasp in shock. He smirked, and quickly lunged forward. He didn't want her activating her power before he could have some fun.

* * *

V. Yvette

* * *

Yvette gasped in horror when she realize who the new officer was. It was Vincentte, one of Emplate's minions, and judging by the look in his eyes, what he had in mind for her was more than using her as a meal. Her first instinct was to tense up, but she also knew how that would look. She wanted to yell for help, but also realized that everyone, except for the officer working on the bomb, was outside. She had only one course of action, and that was her first instinct.

Just as she was about to do so, she was pushed into the wall by a rushing force. She hadn't reacted in time, and Vincentte had surprised her. He had her pinned to wall, and she tried to tense up. She tried, but was unsuccessful, and that worried her. She had never known her power to not work. She had only one option open to her at the moment. She looked at Vincentte, and said, "Is this what your master wants you to do to get me back?"

She was surprised when her attacker started laughing. It was a madman's cackle. All of a sudden, she remember what the others had seen during the attack at the mall, and the thought made her swallow, which was slightly difficult, with his one arm pressing down on her. "No, this is all me. In all honesty, Emplate doesn't know I'm here, and that I'm here to get the prize I was after so long ago."

She then felt his one hand on her neck. For a moment, she felt like he was about to start supping on her right there. She was also certain that if he did, she would bleed to death. She gritted her teeth, in an attempt to look strong. "So I'm some sort of prize? It won't be worth it. I'm not about to be his meal ticket of his again. Not after all the killings he's been doing now."

She became unnerved when his hand went lower down as he spoke. "Oh, it will be worth it. You see, after you had escaped, the master decided to offer you as a prize to the one who found you. At first, everyone thought they could punish you for getting away, and sup on you until you nearly died. Then, Freeze Frame became part of the group, and he got a slave of his own. You would not believe the things they do to one another." As he said that, she saw a hunger in his eyes, one that did not go with supping on her marrow.

It was at that moment that his hand had moved to her top. While it was still on her side, she could tell he was going to move it forward. Before he could, she kneed him. For a brief moment, she felt his arm weaken, and she shoved him off her. She ran for the door to the room, but it was locked. She tried to tense up again, but no luck. She glanced back at Vincentte, who was now running towards her. She noticed he hadn't turned to vapor, and was wondering if it was for the same reason.

She tried to get out of his path, but ended up falling to the floor. She tried to get out of reach, but was tackled to the floor. Soon, she felt her arms being tied behind her. "Since you had to make this difficult, I'm really going to enjoy having you as my slave. Good thing I had your favorite restraints on hand."

In that moment, Yvette became afraid for her life. Her powers weren't kicking in, she was in the clutches of a mentally deranged man, and there was a bomb about to blow up. What she needed now was another moment of good fortune. She chanced a glance back, and noticed that the door to the room was now opening. From the crack, she could tell that the person entering had to be an officer. It was the hope she was looking for.

* * *

VI. Mr. Sinister

* * *

Mr. Sinister had been faking his efforts to diffuse the bomb the whole time. He could diffuse it, since he was the one who had made it, but it was to serve a purpose. However, his goal was to wait until the officer escorted Yvette Cale out of the building. Normally, he would entrust this to a minion, but for what he wanted her for, he had to do it himself. The Cale's, given the family history, and that the heads of the family were two powerful mutants, would be an excellent bloodline to study. Added to that fact that the Cale's now ran a school for mutants, capturing her opened up so many possibilities.

Unfortunately, when he had realized they weren't coming out of the room, he looked up, only to see someone attacking Yvette, and in a way he did not want to see, unless in a proper test environment. He quickly left the bomb, setting a timer for delayed detonation. He needed enough time to rescue and abduct Yvette. He was not worried about the damage the explosion would cause, since when he made the bomb, it would look like the Knights of Humanity had built it.

He had grabbed a stun gun, and entered the room. He noticed Yvette looking at him, but not seeing his face, which was to his benefit. The other person, whom he recognized as one of Emplate's minions, did not seem to notice he had entered. He had found out, due to his own methods, that something had happened to that one's mind. It had to be the reason for this overly aggressive action. He also was aware of the mutant's vapor powers, but luckily, that was not an issue. Since he was after Yvette, and was aware of her powers, he had secretly placed a gas in the air to dampen her power. It was also doing the same to this mutant, and would do so until the bomb went off.

He fired the stun gun, and hit his mark. Vincentte convulsed and passed out, right on top of Yvette. He walked over, and pushed the unconscious mutant off her. As he did so, he heard her say, "Thank you. You have no idea what he wanted to do to me. Now, if you can untie me, and get me out of here, I would be grateful. I take it you defused the bomb."

He decided it was not the time to let her know who he was yet, and just picked her up, and held her over his shoulder. Luckily, it kept her from seeing who he was. The simple action also told her that the bomb was not disarmed, which is what he wanted her to think. "Oh no. I hate to say this, but you have to rescue him as well. He may have attacked me, but he doesn't deserve to die in an explosion."

As he entered a stairwell down to the police station garage, he decided it was time to let her know his plan. "Frankly, I could care less about him. It is you that I was after." He heard her gasp, and felt her try to kick her legs. "Now, now, Lady Cale. You and Lord Cale have been on my interest list for a while. Given your deadly power, I'm amazed you could have children."

He heard her gasp in horror, but he could hear some determination in her voice. "You'll be sorry once I activate my powers, Sinister. My arms may be bound up, but my legs will still slice you." At this point, he was walking to one police car he had already prepped for his departure.

When he was at the car, he quietly said, "I take it your powers are still not working. With that bomb, I was sending into the air a gas to keep your talents from activating." He then opened the back, and tossed her inside onto the back seat. He then closed the door, and got into the front seat. "I even made sure this cop car was the same way. Now, relax, and when we get back to my lair, we'll begin the testing." He then pulled out, and sped out of the garage. He had even timed it right, for just as the car left, the building exploded.

* * *

VII. Davis

* * *

Davis Skinur sat in one of the many cafés in town. He was there with Monet St. Croix, a fellow teacher at the school. In all honesty, he felt she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. He even knew that the first time he saw her, but that was years ago, when he was under the influence of Apocalypse. Now, he was his normal self, trying to make up for the wrongs he had done then.

When their food had arrived, he paused for a moment. It was true that until now, they had been enjoying each others company, and talking like a couple. However, before they had left the school, they each mentioned about Yvette not being back, but Richard had said it would be fine. He could also see a bit of worry on Monet's face as well, so he voiced it. "You're worried about Yvette as well, aren't you?"

He watched as she nodded. "Yes. Given all that she suffered at my brother's hands, and the police thinking she is linked to Angelo's murder, it is hard not to worry." He nodded, and tried to pick at his food. He didn't really eat since it appeared Monet wasn't eating either. She then leaned forward, and softly said, "What makes it worse is that some of the marks on the body look like she actually did cut him."

He did the same, and said, "I know. However, I'm certain she didn't kill him. Yvette doesn't strike me as one who would kill, unless she had been severely wronged, or possibly the kids were in danger. Besides, there was something I noticed after the police had left after the body was found." He noticed she paused, and looked at him. He leaned a little closer, to make sure no one heard him. "I'm sure the police noticed it as well, but from the location of where the body was found, there were two sets of foot prints coming in, and only one set going out. I think that alone would exonerate Yvette."

He watched Monet think about it, before saying. "I think you are right. In fact, it reminds me of something I read about when I worked with Richard's friend, Gabe. There was something in one of his books about magic users who could animate the dead. If someone could do that, they could also make it appear like Yvette killed him, or lured him into a trap."

He nodded in agreement. If someone could do that to frame Yvette for a murder she didn't commit, luring Angelo in would have been a snap. He then looked towards a window, and noticed something. It seemed that a bunch of police officers were gathering outside. For a brief moment, he was afraid that the officers were looking at him, and recalled his past. It was always a fear in his mind, but after a moment, he noticed they were all looking at the police station. In that moment, he started to have a bad feeling about what was happening. He quickly stood up, and said to Monet, "I think we better get out there. I think something must be happening at the police station."

Almost instantly, she was up and heading towards the door. She was almost out it when she stopped. She turned and looked at him, realizing that they were rushing out without paying. He nodded for her to run outside, and then he paid the bill. He had explained, as best he could, why they were running out, but the person just shrugged. Luckily, he saw Monet speaking with one of the officers, and just that, unless she was doing more. He quickly made his way over to the group, and inwardly hoped no one had looked into his past.

* * *

VIII. Monet

* * *

Monet had made her way over to the police officers that were outside their police station, but she didn't need to read minds to known what they were thinking. It was such a common and overpowering thought, and it invoked fear. _"Bomb!" _ The fear even worked its way into her, since of everyone outside, she could not detect Yvette's long red hair. The lack of that meant one of two things. While one was unthinkable, the other one was that Yvette was back at the school.

For a moment, she let herself calm down, and hoped that calm passed on to the police officers. Soon she found the one who had to be in charge, and walked over to him. She glanced back, noticing that Davis was coming over, obviously a bit nervous. She hoped her calm feeling would relax him, knowing his anxiety was due to his past.

She finally tapped the officer on the shoulder, and was startled when he turned to face her, a bit upset. He quickly said, "Pardon Miss, but you shouldn't be here. We have a bomb situation, and the farther back you are, the safer you are."

She could tell he was about to escort her back, but she held her ground. She knew no one could move her if she didn't want to be moved. It happened many times when she had her mental battles with her sister. She just crossed her arms, and spoke. "Sir, my name is Monet St. Croix, and I work at the school. My friend, Lady Yvette Cale, had been called to the police station earlier today. I was wondering if she was still there when this started."

It was at that point that Davis got to her side. She was thankful he had made it there, and saw him point to the station. "When we noticed all this from the café, our concern for our friend made us ask. Was she already back at the school, or not?"

She then noticed a look of concern on the officer's face. For a brief moment, she almost let the panic of the crowd engulf her. "I wish she had been. We had just determined she hadn't killed the person that was found on the school grounds. It was at that time that one officer informed me of the bomb. That officer was supposed to bring Lady Cale out, but he hasn't. We also haven't seen the man who was working to defuse the bomb. Hopefully, he'll succeed, and if not, hopefully they will all get out." She was glad he never stated the alternative, but the thought crossed her mind.

She stopped thinking about it when another officer came up, with a puzzled look on his face. He only gave her and Davis a quick glance, but he spoke to the officer in charge. "Sir, I've just checked and everyone that was on duty at the time is here. No one is unaccounted for." As the puzzled look appeared on the lead officer's face, she felt all her mental alarms going off. Something was definitely not right.

She saw the superior officer shake his head. "That can't be right. What about the two officers still in the building. The one who was working on the bomb, and the one I left to escort Lady Cale out. Where are they?"

Her mental alarms shrieked when the other officer spoke. "I asked everyone, and they swore they had never seen those two officers before. In fact, the one that had informed you, no one can say they saw his face, but some did mention it looked purple." Almost in an instant, she put two and two together, but something still didn't make sense. If it was who she thought it was, one of her brother's minions was abducting Yvette. That was a bad scenario.

Before she could say anything to anyone about it, Davis put a hand on her shoulder and pointed. "Someone is leaving the building. Look!" She turned and looked at the car now pulling out of the garage. In the briefest of moments before it sped away from them, she noticed who was behind the wheel, and it made her pale in fright. She had been wrong about who was after Yvette.

She was about to give chase, but paused as an explosion rocked the area. She felt someone pull her down to the ground, and realized it was Davis doing so. She was about to protest, when he softly said, "I saw it too. It wasn't a police officer in the car, and it looked like someone I had read up on after Yvette mentioned seeing him. You should contact Richard, and wait. If you were to give chase now, it would like mutants were attacking the police."

She nodded, realizing what he meant by that. If someone saw her flying after a police car, some would blame mutants for the bombing. Ironically, she was certain that was the truth, to use it as a diversion for their escaping with Yvette as captive. She quickly focused her power, and sent a telepathic message to Richard. _"Richard, Yvette has been abducted from the police station, and it appears Mr. Sinister is to blame. Please get down here quickly."_ She then took a deep breath, and felt that Davis still had an arm around her. For a moment, she took comfort in that. He was indeed much different from her first encounter with him years before, and it was also possible that that action kept her from doing something rash, and risky. Her only regret was that Mr. Sinister was getting away, and she was certain Yvette was abducted by him.

* * *

IX. Graylon

* * *

Graylon Walsh had been stunned when he heard the news, and ever more stunned when he was asked to go with the group. He wasn't going to question it right now, but it might be for the best. He knew that Ambassador Leveneque and his daughter needed time to themselves, and it would be best to let them have that. Besides, he was certain someone might try to scoop this story, and twist it around. While he had done stories on information that was not public knowledge, it had been true.

Those thoughts left him when they arrived at the scene. The police station was nothing more than rubble, and scattered about were fragment of building, and possibly bomb. When the car stopped, he jumped out, with Alexandra McNeal, Everett Thomas, Kevin Mitchell, Lord Richard Cale, and Clarice Ferguson-Thomas. He could tell they were all in shock at the sight, but he let his professionalism take over.

This was not the first devastating scene he had seen in his career as a reporter. It was also not the worst. From what Richard had been told by Monet as they made there way here, there were no officers lost in the explosion, but there may have been one fatality. He watched as Richard and some of the others ran over to Monet and Davis, checking on how they were. Even from where he was, he could see they were shaken up a bit.

He then paused as he looked at something on the ground. He was not going to touch it, but the symbol on it was that of the Knights Of Humanity. Lately, that group had been becoming more active, but he didn't think they would resort to bombing. However, he would not put it past them if the place was a highly mutant place. He also felt certain they wouldn't label their bomb. Doing that would be very foolish, and would hurt their image. He felt it was more likely that the image was going to be used to frame the group.

Sure enough, as he got closer to some officers, he heard they were shouting about this. "First, you try to frame Lady Cale, then some of your friends set a bomb. If she is dead because of this, I will make sure every officer in the country is looking for you. This is way out of line."

He chanced a quick glance at the officer that was being yelled at, and he noticed a look of anger on his face, but mixed in it he could see shock. "I can assure you that the Knights of Humanity would not have bombed a police station. Why don't you ask the officer who saw the bomb, or the one trying to defuse it? I'm certain they would say there was no evidence that the Knights Of Humanity caused this."

That puzzled him for a moment, and then he remember what Monet had relayed to Richard telepathically. She had told him that there were two officers that were not supposed to be there. One had been Mr. Sinister, but the other was an unknown. Could the other have also been a member of the Knights of Humanity. Could it have been an assistant of Mr. Sinister, or someone else entirely.

He was about to ask the officers if that was possible, however, two shouts caused him to not ask. The first had been from an examiner, and he had said he found the remains of a body. He was concerned that it was Yvette's body that was found, and then the words of the second shout hit him. It had been Alexandra, who had called for him. "Everyone, get over here. I think I confirmed what happened, and it's not good." He inwardly cursed his feeling of dread, but quickly hurried to the spot. He was thankful, however, that she didn't call any names. No one had approached the police since they arrived, so it was best to keep that image up for a bit yet.

* * *

X. Richard

* * *

Lord Richard Cale walked over to Alexandra with the others he had brought with him there. With all that had happened, he knew it was best to wait until talking with the police. Besides, he could hear the one yelling at the others, and from some of the words he heard, he had a feeling the bombing looked like a hate group attack. He also caught the words that a body was found, but he couldn't focus on any of those. He wanted to be certain of what had happened before he spoke to the police, and all he felt certain of was his wife's abduction by Mr. Sinister.

Once they were all together, he looked at Alexandra and said, "What can you hear?" Since he had found out about her power, a remote hearing, and how Graylon had used it at first to find out stuff other reporters couldn't, he allowed her to stay at the school. This was the first time her powers could be used in a very positive way, allowing them to locate Yvette.

He watched as they all stood around her, and she had closed her eyes. "She's trying to say something, but he must have gagged her since they left. The other voice is speaking, and it must be this Mr. Sinister." He watched as she paused and gasped. "He just told her how he had set everything up. He had the bomb ready for whenever she was brought in. Apparently, he was aware that she wasn't cleared regarding that man's murder."

He watched as Everett let out a low whistle. "How the hell did he find out about that? I thought you told the police that Angelo was already declared dead." Richard nodded, because he had. The investigating officer had told him that all discretion would be used due to the unusual circumstances.

He was about to say something when Alexandra spoke again. "He just said it was fortunate that one of the officers was a member of the Knights of Humanity. It just added suspicion to be placed on them for her disappearance, but he's aware that you and her are linked." With those last words, he noticed that Alexandra was looking right at him.

He nodded, and then looked to the others. "He knows we'll be coming after her. We'll have to have Paige and Jonothan contact Professor Xavier. We'll need all the help we can get on this." He then looked at Graylon and said, "We'll have to let the police know that the Knights of Humanity aren't behind this, and that Yvette is alive." He watched as the Graylon nodded, and then looked at Clarice. "How many people can you teleport with one of your portals, or those pikes you use?"

He watched Clarice, who aside being a friend, was also his bodyguard since they came to England, thought about it for a moment. "A few, but if we have to 'rabbit hole', it may not get us all the way home, depending where he is."

He nodded, and then Kevin pointed. "I think planning may have to come later. My father works at this station, and he's coming over." Richard looked over, and noticed that the very person was walking over, a slightly concerned look on his face.

Richard turned to face the officer, and took a deep breath to help calm himself just as the officer spoke. "Lord Cale. We didn't expect you down here so quick. I'm sorry about this, but your wife….."

He cut the officer off, and said, "Relax. We know she wasn't in the building at the time. I want to speak with the one in charge, however, because we know who is behind this, and it wasn't the Knights of Humanity."

He heard the officer sigh. "That's a relief. I'll admit I was starting to worry, especially about Kevin. Speaking of which, why did you come here, son? Were you worried about Lady Cale, or about me?"

He saw a slight smile cross the officer's face when Kevin answered. "I was worried about both of you, Dad. I'm glad no officers were injured."

At that, the officer frowned. "That's not the case. We did find evidence that someone was caught in the blast. There had been two people posing as officers in the building. We had suspected members of the Knights of Humanity, but we haven't found out who it is yet."

Richard looked at Alexandra, and said, "Did you hear anything about that?" He then said to Kevin's father. "She has a gift of remote hearing. If she focuses on a person, she can hear any conversation they are having, or what people are saying around that person." He saw the cop nod.

Soon Alexandra nodded, and spoke. "Yes. Apparently it was the only unforeseen part of his plan. He said the guy's name was Vincentte." He, Everett, Clarice and Monet all gasped when they heard that. She then paused and said, "I won't say what he was trying to do, but when Lady Cale was carried out, he was left there for when the bomb went off. Also, there was something in that bomb that was suppressing all mutant powers."

Richard blinked when he heard that. He then turned to the officer. "Get the one in charge over here, before this spirals out of control. The last thing we want to happen is for the wrong facts to get out to the public. I may not like them, but I'll not see the Knights of Humanity get blamed for a crime they didn't commit." He didn't want to admit that it was the kind of thing they would blame mutants for doing, but he felt that if the word got out that mutants found out about the plot and cleared their name, they would be less likely to retaliate.

Just as the officer turned to go get his superior, he heard Graylon groan. "I think it's too late for that. While we've been talking, my biggest rival, Angelina Pond, has just shown up, and I think she's doing a live broadcast." He glanced over, and did notice that a news report was going on. "I guess my stunt at the airport didn't detain her long."

As the woman spoke, he saw Kevin's father speaking with the head officer, but it was obviously too late, since she had already started speaking to the camera. "As it looks, the police station had been bombed by the Knights of Humanity. All of the officers had gotten out, but it seems that Lady Yvette Cale, who was apparently still in the building…" He noticed she had stopped, and looked at the officers, before continue. "Hold that, it seems that one of the Knights of Humanity members had abducted Lady Cale. No doubt, the officers here will be going after all the members of the hate group. I'll be doing a follow up report, speaking with Lord Cale about how he plans to retaliate against this hate group."

Richard groaned, hoping that this was the worst of it, and then Alexandra tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, and she softly said, "Sir, can I tell you something?" He nodded, and moved closer to her, noting she wanted this to stay quiet. After a moment, she said, "Before I stopped listening, something odd happened. All of a sudden, I could have sworn I heard Lady Cale talking, and it seemed to be with you. Something like this happened before, when I was in the class one time, listening to you. I don't know what to think about it."

In that moment, Richard had a bone chilling thought cross his mind. Some time ago, during one of the encounters with Emplate, the foe said the Rippers were not his minions. It now seemed for possible that it was true. If Emplate was losing his grip on some of his thrall, it was possible that some turned on him. He then remember another fact. Darrett Thomas-Ferguson was from a timeline where two of Emplate's thralls had turned on him, and if what Alexandra said was true, that meant a very bad thing. In fact, it was a disastrous thing, if it was true. He repressed a shudder, and then said to Alexandra, "We'll talk about it later. Right now, we will focus on rescuing Yvette. I just hope her powers can prevent Sinister from doing any tests right away." He then had everyone get back in the car, and he hoped they could end this before Graylon's rival caused this to spin farther out of control.

End Chapter.

* * *

Authors Notes

* * *

Twenty Five Chapters, and still more to write. I do hope those that have been reading this tale have been enjoying it. This chapter features a few references to prior chapters, as well as to The Cale Storyline. Also, the officers' names are reference to characters in Are You Being Served?


	26. Sinister Effects

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 26: Sinister Effects

* * *

I. Freeze Frame

* * *

Freeze Frame was not sure why Emplate had summoned him to the central chamber of the lair, but he felt it was not good. Usually, the only times they got called to the central chamber was for a plan, or they were in trouble. Since the master didn't seem to have the former, it meant the latter. Since that had to be the case, he wondered who the source of it was. He knew that Vincentte had been acting odd since the attack at the mall. Could that madness have gotten them all into trouble? If that was the case, he would kill the gaseous mutant.

When he finally arrived at the central chamber, he was stunned to hear his master had already started ranting. "What in the world was he doing there anyhow? No one was supposed to try anything." He noticed that none of the others tried to get near Emplate at this moment. It was probably wise, given the magical powers Emplate had.

He then heard Aura speak with a calming voice. "I remember you telling me how much he seemed to fancy Yvette. He heard she was going to be brought in, and decided then was the perfect time to nab her. His obsession with her has intensified since the failed mall attack." Now he had a better understanding of what had the master upset.

He decided to speak up at that time. "She's right, Emplate." He almost flinched when Emplate looked at him. The look he had received made him wonder if Emplate was truly more frightening with out the respirator he used to wear or not. Nevertheless, he continued speaking. "I have heard him muttering about finally catching and claiming her. I didn't realize he was going to attempt something now."

He stopped speaking when Emplate nodded. "It would have been nice to know that before Vincentte went out and got himself killed." Those words shocked him, but Emplate continued. "I felt the link to him go the second he died. Apparently, he was still in the building when the bomb blew, and could not change forms. A shame since he used to be such a good minion. While I have no connection to Yvette now, I am certain she is alive."

He blinked when he heard that, however, it was his master's son, Marcus, that asked the question on all their minds. "How can you be sure, father? She had gone to the police station that had been blown up." He wondered how the boy thought of that, and then turned back to look at Emplate.

He watched as his master looked at all of them. "While she is no longer under my influence, I still know when any of my thralls, either current or former, die. Yvette is not dead." There was a tone in his words that told Freeze Frame, as well as the others, that this was a fact.

It was then that he made the bold suggestion, and he was sure it made total sense. "Then why don't we just track her down and capture her. She's obviously not with Skitz or the others. It should be easy with my powers, sir." He stopped talking when Emplate looked straight at him. For a moment, he felt he would be severely punished for mentioning the idea.

* * *

II. Emplate

* * *

Emplate looked at his minion for a moment, and considered the suggestion. It wasn't a bad idea at all, and if certain facts were different, it would be an excellent idea. However, the failed attack not too long ago, as well as the fact of Richard's own powers, both mutant and mystical, would mean that Richard would be ready for his involvement. He then nodded, but said, "If things were different, Freeze Frame, I would take that course of action, and even put you in the lead of the mission. Unfortunately, Richard would be ready if I tried anything. I think it is best for the moment to sit back, and let things play out."

He then turned his attention to his beloved, Elane Bonstein, and his always loyal manservant, D.O.A. They were both in charge of finding out more information, and they needed information constantly on Cale, and on the other factor, 'The Rippers'. "Do we have anything on these 'Rippers'? Cale still believes they are some of my thralls, but they are not. Who exactly are they?"

He was glad that Elane had something of an answer. "So far, we know they are like you, my love. They seem to lurk in the underground. They also have been active for some time; at least a year before you returned. They've been slowly growing in numbers. Also, it appears that they have two leaders. They call them Lord and Lady Dark. I don't know who they are, but they seem to stay in their base of operations."

Emplate nodded in understanding. It was a brilliant idea. They remain in secret, sending their underlings out to cause trouble, and plot things out. He had no doubt that when it would be time, they would reveal themselves. Also, by calling themselves by the noble titles, they solidified their position of power. What it did not answer was who they were. He knew who all his thralls were, and if they had enthralled any. This Lord and Lady Dark, however, were not his thralls, nor were their 'Rippers'. The only other possibility was that they were from another timeline, and that worried him.

He then looked at D.O.A. as he began to speak. "I've been busy trying to gather information about what is going on at Cale's school. It seems that since our attack, they had a few new people arrive. That had coincided with an attack from your sister, which resulted in a death. Odd thing is, they all act as if the one who died will come back. Also, a French Ambassador arrived, which appears to be the father of a girl who looks like Yvette. Lastly, which coincides with why Yvette was at the police station, it appears that Angelo Espinosa was killed. The police seemed to have suspected her."

That bit of news surprised him. Even though he had learned that Generation X had parted ways, there was no malevolence between them. He could not see her killing Angelo. So why would the police suspect her of doing that? He looked at his manservant again. "Why did they suspect her?"

The next comment totally surprised him. "It appears he was killed with claw like hands, just like Yvette's. It's almost as if she had done it. However, it is possible that another mutant has powers like my cousin." He nodded in agreement. It was quite possible, but the odds of it were astronomical. If he had even found of a second, recapturing Yvette would have been a very low priority. Something didn't seem right, and maybe right now, he would enlist some aid on this matter. He needed to rule out the possibility of a clone, and the only way to do that was to contact Claudette. He closed his eyes for a moment, and focused on her. The mental link between the two of them was strong, and once he made contact, they would be able to figure this mystery out, and how to use it to capture their foes.

* * *

III. Claudette

* * *

Claudette St. Croix sat in her hideout, and she was not happy. Just a few days prior, the attack she had done on the school ran by the Cales had gone wrong. It had started out well, with there being a fatality, but went down hill. First, the demon, Sen, had been killed, and then the summoner, Arisa, had been captured. If that had not been enough, one of her loyal followers kept insisting that they try to rescue Arisa. In fact, it was that very reason why Quinn Taylor was bothering her now. "We need her back, Claudette. She may not be a mutant, but she's got a lot of power."

She went to respond to the comment, but she was briefly distracted when her brother contacted her mentally. _"Sister, we need to talk." _Normally, she would welcome anything he would say. They had some mutual goals, some exclusive goals, but in the end, they both wanted the power controlling others gave them. Marius also wanted to us mutants as cattle.

She sighed, then mentally responded. _"I shall talk with you in a few, dear brother. I'm dealing with something here at the moment." _She then focused her attention on Quinn. She would have lashed out, but Sean was in the room at the moment. It could have been planned that Quinn was bringing up the subject around him. "Quinn, we have discussed this multiple times, in the past few days. Rescuing Arisa isn't an option. First off, if we were to attempt a rescue mission so soon after our recent attack, we would lose more of our people. Second, we may have lost Arisa, but we still have Henry."

She held her temper in check as Quinn snorted in disgust. It was obvious that Quinn did not like men. In fact, she was almost a mis'andrist. The only guy she seemed to tolerate was Sean. Of course, that could be due to the fact that he was deaf, but he could also lip-read. That limited how much he talked, and she had to admit the silent type was to her liking.

Quinn's expected opposition to her statement brought her back to the moment. "Henry is a beast. We need Arisa back, and soon. She can command tons of demons. She's also more pleasant to be around." Claudette had to agree on that point. Even when Henry was not in his more brutish form, he would make off hand comments, even hinting he would be better for her than Sean.

She put that thought out of her mind, and returned to the facts. She focused her gaze on to Quinn. "While I agree that Henry is a bit brutish, controlling demons is by no means something stable. Arisa may have control over some demons, but if they were to break free of that control, I do not want to be around to be part of what they will do when free. Besides, the chance for us to be able to rescue her at this point would be one point in a million. She may even turn on us, which is why I have been checking for new hiding spots."

She was still stunned when Quinn just said, "So if Asira escapes, and she tries to return, she's still lost to us. Would you have done this if either Sean or I were captured? I can tell you that I have no desire to help Richard Cale." That she knew was true, and Sean would never betray her. She doubted Henry would ever join her enemies. Arisa was the only wildcard.

Before she could respond, she was stunned when her brother broke through again, and with some surprising news. _"Sister, Yvette has been abducted by someone else. She was also accused of murdering Skin."_ The news had her dumbstruck. One of her foes, one she knew would not kill a friend, accused of doing just that. It would have been a stroke of luck if she was arrested, for it meant one less person to go after. However, the fact that she was abducted was the big thing. If she had been in police custody, then that meant a police station was attacked. That would be a whole other issued, one that could not be taken lightly. She also realized one other thing. She had either said it, or mouthed the words about Yvette's abduction, because a smile had crossed Quinn's face.

* * *

IV. Sean (Golden)

* * *

Sean Rogers had lip-read the words his lover had said, and realized what it would mean. If Yvette Cale had been abducted, no doubt Richard Cale and his friends would mount a rescue mission. It would be the perfect opportunity to get Arisa back. He glanced over at Quinn, and he saw she was talking. "She's been abducted. This is the moment. We get into positions, and when they leave, we attack. They won't expect the attack now."

He looked at Claudette, and nodded, signing his words, even though Claudette could easily put his words into psi-speech now. "She's right. We do need her back. Also, with their attention focused on whomever captured Yvette, we might even be able to waltz in and get her out." He didn't want to add about how she was better than Henry. It might ruin any chances of them being able to go rescue Arisa.

In that moment, he realized that Claudette would not entertain another word about the matter. In fact, the look that was on her face now told him that she was furious. "Listen, both of you. She failed me, just like Freeze Frame had years ago. Mention this again, and you will face a fate worse than what happened to Freeze Frame. Now leave."

He didn't have to be told twice. He ran for the door to the room, with Quinn behind him. Soon they were out of the room, the door slamming behind him. However, the meaning of her threat had rattled him. Years ago, after Generation X had thwarted their plans, Claudette handed Freeze Frame over to her brother, the mutant known as Emplate. The fact that she would be willing to repeat that action again said tons.

He then looked at Quinn, who over the years had picked up sign language, and signed, "I can't believe she would threaten us like that." He noticed a grim look cross Quinn's face, as she silently nodded. Quinn could do sign language, but not very well.

Quinn looked side to side, obviously checking for Henry, before speaking, obviously in a very low voice, or none at all. "I can. The years confined to that suit have taken a toll on her. Besides, I think what ever you two had might have had her last longer than she might have if you didn't love her."

He blinked at that last statement, surprised that she had even said it. He could have sworn that Quinn would have never admitted something like that. "I thought you hated men?"

He watched as she nodded, and then mouthed, "I do, but I'll admit that if it had a positive effect on our leader, it's good. Besides, if your power wasn't so devastating to others, I'm sure she would have just blasted you with some sort of psychic attack." Those words didn't make him feel better. In fact, it made him feel worse. When he first joined this group, he was certain he'd find others, but after the first few set of crimes, he started to have doubts.

He didn't sign anything more, and walked away from Quinn. He knew she wouldn't follow him, and he was grateful for that. For the first time, he seriously was thinking of leaving Claudette, and turning himself over to the authorities. However, he knew that if he did that, he might not survive Claudette's wrath. If he were going to leave, he had to pick the right people to turn to, and that appeared to be the Cale's. He sighed then, and went to his quarters in the hide out.

* * *

V. Jack

* * *

Jack stood in the middle of Lord and Lady Dark's central chamber in the lair. He was their most loyal follower, and he knew they would always appreciate the information he had. He was certain that the information he had now would be greatly appreciated. He also knew not to speak until he was addressed. A few of the other Rippers had tried that once, only to be severely wounded, or killed, by Lord or Lady Dark.

He briefly looked at the other person in the room. It was Necra, who was high up in the Rippers like him. The female mutant had the power to reanimate corpses, however it was limited since her power was mostly reanimating herself. On a plus, she didn't need to eat, saving more of their prey for them, but the negative was that she was a living corpse. However, her power allowed her those privileges to be his equal.

He returned his focus back to the reason he was here when Lord Dark spoke to him. "You have information regarding what Necra had been tasked with. I do hope things have gone as expected."

In all honesty, he was unsure if the results were what Lord Dark had expected. The corpse left on the Cale's yard had caused some chaos, but not like what they had initially expected. "I'm not sure if it is as expected, My Lord, but it is chaotic. As was expected, Lady Cale was accused, and taken in for questioning."

He heard a gleeful laugh come from Lady Dark, as she clapped her hands together in delight. "Oh, I can just see her now. She must be livid in the jail cell. She must be frantic, knowing she can cut her way out, but won't because it will make her look guilty." He then noticed that Lady Dark had her own hands in their claw like form.

He nodded, and then said, "Actually, the police were able to confirm that she couldn't have killed him. Apparently, they could determine the time of death." He could feel a killer look come from Lady Dark, and he hoped the next bit of news would spare his life. "However, before they could release her, a bomb in the building was found. Apparently it was part of a ploy to capture Lady Cale, created by Mr. Sinister. It was supposed to blame the new hate group, The Knights Of Humanity."

He paused when Lord Dark leaned forward, his gaze focusing on him. "And was he successful on capturing her, or did the bomb kill her?" Something in the question made him wonder if the news he was about to relay was the news his master wanted to hear.

He took a deep breath, and then responded. "It appears the abduction was successful. She is currently held by Mr. Sinister. From what I've heard about him, he seems to pride himself on genetics, being formerly obsessed with the Summer's family. I don't know why he's decided to go after Lady Cale." He stopped there, and braced himself for what ever would happen if Lord Dark was displeased.

After a moment, he realized that Lord Dark was happy about the news. He took a good look at Lord Dark, who was rubbing his hands together. "Now that we've heard that, we can plan our attack. In fact, I'm sure it will be the perfect time to attack." He relaxed for a moment, and then eagerly awaited for Lord Dark to tell them his plan.

* * *

VI. Lord Dark

* * *

Lord Dark sat back, happy with the news he had just heard. It gave them an opportunity he thought would not happen so soon. It would be risky, but the results would be regaining what they had left behind in their collapsed timeline. He looked at his most loyal followers, and said, "We have the perfect opportunity, thanks to that fool, Sinister. We will be able to get into the school, and over take them before they will be the wiser."

He noticed that Jack seemed eager to begin. "Do you need me to assemble some of our troops together. Some of the others missed out on the attack a few weeks ago, and are eager to battle."

He shook his head briefly, and held up on hand, showing the hungry maw on it. "Not for an immediate strike, Jack, but it will be needed for after. If I know Lord Cale," he chuckled, and then continued, "and I do know him, he will mount a rescue mission for Lady Cale. No doubt he'll have his friends help, but not all of them. I also don't doubt that he'll leave the students behind. They will be our first victims, and converts. We will also have the best way to fool them." He then looked at Lady Dark.

She smiled back from under her hood, and then moved her hands to the hood. She lowered it, revealing her fiery hair, and her blue eyes. "Yes, they will easily open the door when I show up at their door. In fact, I can use my current appearance to make them think Lady Cale escaped." She then frowned, remembering one little detail. "Of course, we may have to deal with Synch and Daria's whelp. I'd love to rip him limb from limb."

He nodded in agreement. He had forgot about that slight complication in the plan. "Ah yes, the summoner. He used those damn decoys to evade us. Those huge bug things weren't even alive. We'll have to take care of him immediately. He is the only one who could know who we are. We either have to succeed in killing him, or hope he goes on the mission." He highly doubted the latter would happen, so a killing was the only option.

He paused when Lady Dark just chuckled. "I'll kill him. Besides, if he dies, any of those things he summons will die, or break free and cause more havoc." He did like the sound of that idea. In fact, the more he thought about that problem, the more he wanted it to happen.

Lord Dark put the thought out of his mind. They needed to prepare, and travel. He looked to Necra, who once had been a truly living mutant girl. "You will accompany Lady Dark. Once she gets in, animate the first kill. Then, once the place is secure, Jack and the others will come in to ambush the others when they return."

The living corpse nodded, and spoke in her unnerving voice. "Understood. I shall also make sure she remains safe. May I know what to do just in case they surprise us?" Something about the question sounded foreboding for his plan. The only thing that could go wrong is their decoy plan to be found out.

He chased the thought out of his head. "If she can't get in the door, and there is a force ready to defend, then return here. I doubt it will happen, though." He watched as they all nodded, and then Lady Dark left with Necra, and Jack went another direction. He then lowered his hood, and looked in a near by mirror. As he did, he couldn't help but think that if the plan went wrong, he would have exposed to his enemies the identity of the true force leading the Rippers.

* * *

VII. Angelina Pond

* * *

Angelina Pond was thankful for the opportunity that had fallen into her lap after the bombing. Shortly after reporting that the mutant hate group, the Knights Of Humanity, had been responsible for the bombing, they demanded a press conference. The fact that they wanted it with her only made it better in her mind. Two big scoops over the big name in reporting, Graylon Walsh. For the first time in a long time, her biggest rival had lost his edge. She had been thankful that he hadn't scooped the interview with the French Ambassador. It still irked her that some sort of malfunction at the airport made security detain her and her cameraman for a while.

Now, the cameraman was keeping up with the latest news, not that he really needed to. She was certain that the big news would be the press conference with Henry Meier , the leader of the group. Just looking at the man now, she could tell he was upset, but he held in his anger. She figured this was because he knew she would spin it against him. She would have done it, since she cared about ratings.

She nodded at the man, and put on her most enchanting smile. "We will be going live in a few minutes. You know that after your statement, I will ask you a few questions." She was doing that to see how many more ratings she could get, and no doubt the leader of the hate group would provide cause.

She was not surprised when Henry Meier responded. "Indeed. I know exactly who caused this. That mutant bastard, Lord Richard Cale, had his wife take that bomb in there, and set it off. We will be vindicated, and the people will see that filth for what he is." Inwardly, she was jumping for joy. While it was against the general public view of Lord Richard Cale, it would be a ratings gold mine.

She then turned to face her camera man, since it would be almost time for the broadcast. It would be a late night broadcast, but it was big news following the bombing. She held up her microphone, and waited for her cue. Her cameraman, who had his earpiece in, was listening, apparently hearing from the studio when it would be time to start. He then raised his hand, and she waited for him to signal that the camera was active, and then it happened.

He just shook his head. All of a sudden, the ratings gold mine collapsed. She didn't have to see anything, but he was already motioning to a nearby television. As they hastily set up for the live feed, the television in the room had been shut off. She quickly ran over to it and turned it on. She was thankful that it was already on one of the news programs, and what she saw almost made her gasp. She could see Lord Richard Cale speaking, but the volume was down low. The caption that ran along the bottom of the screen, however, told her all she needed to know. "LORD CALE SAYS MUTANT CAUSED BOMBING. LADY CALE ABDUCTED. KOH IS NOT TO BLAME." Her live news feed was cancelled. She was then surprised to see who was with Lord Cale, and she was irked again. It was Graylon Walsh, and he had somehow scooped her again. How did he do it? She was sure he didn't hear about the bombing, until it was too late. He had also been one of the first to question what Lord Cale was doing with his school. This didn't make any sense at all to her, and what was worse, Mr. Meier was starting to get very impatient.

* * *

VIII. Henry Meier

* * *

Henry Meier was getting very impatient with the reporter now. She had promised him a chance to speak out about the allegations made against his noble organization, and when the time came, she was looking at a television. He stood up behind his desk, and slammed a fist down on it. "Ms. Pond. Are we going to do this live interview or not? The longer I am kept from speaking, more of my good people will be hunted by the police for what those damn mutants did."

He was stunned when the reporter turned to face him. "It's not happening. There is no need to do it anymore, Mr. Meier. The person you just said had done it, actually just stopped it."

He felt his jaw drop when he heard that. He walked over to the television, and turned up the volume. It was then he heard it. The mutant, Lord Cale, had cleared their name. He had even said another mutant had caused it, and was trying to blame them. He now knew why the reporter had stopped the live feed. If he had gone on now, he would have looked like a trouble maker. People would start thinking again that they had set the bomb. It was a disaster now, because all their lives had been save by a mutant.

His musings stopped, however, when his own phone rang. He turned and looked at it, feeling slightly unnerved. Something told him the call was related to the news he had just heard. After a few rings, he cautiously picked up the phone. "Hello." He was unnerved enough to forget about formalities.

His anger started to swell when the person on the other end spoke. _"Hello, and you're welcome. I take it you just heard the news."_ It was the mutant, Richard Cale.

He started to shout into the phone. "You dare to call me, after all you and your freaks have done." His voice was so loud that the reporter had taken notice and focused on him. For a brief moment, the rational part of his mind told him how this would make him look to the press, but he mentally told that part to shut up. "Just as soon as I can, I'm going..."

He shut up when Cale responded back, not shouting, but his raised voice he was sure could be heard by the reporter. _"Going to what? If you say I'm lying now, you would be admitting you actually set the bomb. We both know that isn't true."_ He knew Cale was right about that. Cale then continued. _"Honestly, while we will not agree on most issues, I think we can agree that most police, after a station being bombed, might shoot first and ask questions later. I think we can also both agree that anyone who is not responsible for the crime should not have to fear police retaliation."_

He grunted his agreement. "I really hate to say this, but you are right, for a mutant." He then looked at the reporter, who he was sure was really paying attention now. If she said anything about this, he'd be ruined. He then looked at the phone again, wondering if the mutant even knew the reporter was there.

Lord Cale then spoke again. _"Now, some would say you owe me a debt, but I thought it would be better to tell you about another thing that might save your image." _He blinked at that comment, and thought about lashing out again. He stole a glance at the reporter, and she seemed captivated by every word. He decided to continue listening._ "I do believe you have the Lewis's in your group. I have no idea of what they may have told you, however I have heard a great deal of how they treated their daughter. This treatment started long before her powers manifested, and is deplorable. Now, given how people all over look at those who do unspeakable acts of any sort to kids, can you just imagine what would happen if the press found out about that?"_

He went pale, wondering if the mutant knew the reporter was there. It was true he had already known about what the Lewis's motives were, but he was fine looking past it. He then glanced again at her, and he noticed a slight glint in her eyes. He swallowed, knowing that he was over a barrel. However, he was not going to reveal that the reporter had been there. "If people like that were in any group, they should be chucked out. I'd even go as far and report them to the police." After a moment, he realized he now needed to do that, costing himself two good members to his group. He then said quietly, "You are certain about this. Given the situation, you know."

He was thankful when Lord Cale lowered his voice as well._ "Dead certain. I've been told by multiple sources. Their daughter is here, and I've spoken with her, and other teachers who have remarked that she seems to be a good person, but her parents insists that her good grades are due to cheating and other things."_ He remembered hearing something similar when talking to Graylon Walsh on the phone.

He looked at the reporter again, and he decided what had to be done. He then said into the phone, "I shall handle this matter then. However, I'm doing this for the Knights of Humanity, and not to help you, mutie." He noticed the reporters eyes go wide, but he heard no surprised sounds come from the other end. Lord Cale might have expected the slur. He then hung up the phone, wanting to be sure of having the last word. He then went to the intercom, and said, "I want the Lewis's here immediately."

* * *

IX. Tasha

* * *

Tasha Lewis sat with everyone else in Lord Richard Cale's office. He had just hung up the phone after talking with the leader of the Knights Of Humanity. Alexandra had informed them that Graylon's rival was with him, and had been preparing to do a press conference. After that, everything happened quickly. He had been quick to get Graylon to set up a conference to clear the Knights Of Humanity, and then kept track of them until the time was right. Graylon had even provided them with the number to call directly.

After a few moments, she saw Alexandra grin. The girl looked at all of them, and said, "He did it. He just tossed them out, right in front of Angelina. If they are smart, Tasha, they will flee the country." Hearing those words, Tasha felt a wave of relief go through her. She would now be free of the horror that was her parents.

She watched as Jubilation Thomas smiled at her. Her teacher just said to her, "You look like a great weight has been lifted off your shoulders." She nodded, because it was true. The possibility that her parents would somehow get her back in that house had always been in the back of her mind. Now that everyone would know the truth, she would be vindicated.

She felt a hand on her shoulders, and she looked back to see Prince James. He had a smile on his face as well. It was just recently that they realized they had feelings for one another. The fact that she didn't need to always stay in the school grounds meant they could go places. "Maybe, after we get Lady Cale back, we can have a nice quiet dinner out."

She looked at him, and smiled back. "That would be nice, but I think we would need to have someone to help keep it quiet. You are the Prince." For a brief moment, a chuckle went through the room, and everyone seemed relaxed. It was as if the world seemed at ease.

That moment finally passed when Darrett Thomas-Ferguson brought them back to the moment. "With Tasha now free to leave, will that be a help in the plan to rescue Yvette." The room went silent, and Tasha nodded. As one of the team leaders, she would most likely need to go on the rescue mission. However, she was also sure she knew nothing about Mr. Sinister, since he had not come up in any of their lessons yet.

She watched as Clarice Thomas-Ferguson paced the room, and said, "He's not your average mutant menace. However, I don't want to go into it, since the one I know of might be a lot different than the one we are dealing with." She did recall that some of the teachers were from alternate timelines. However, knowing how alternate versions were might allow them to figure how to anticipate this one.

She looked around, and it was the new teacher, Jonothan Evans Starsmore who responded. "Nathanial Essex, more commonly known as Mr. Sinister, is a mutant geneticist, and he is obsessed with certain families, and their mutant genes. He has been focusing on the Summers family, and finding powerful abilities. No doubt he started focusing on the Cale's since Richard is the first mutant in the family. However, I think he also factored in Yvette's powers, and those two are a powerful combination."

For a moment, she let those words sink in. Then she looked at James, and a horrifying thought crossed her mind. If Mr. Sinister captured the Prince, he'd extend his focus to James, and maybe all of them. She then said aloud, "We can't all go then. Some of us should remain here." She noticed that some of her other classmates were nodding. She then looked at Lord Cale, and the look on his face told her he had a plan in mind, but there was something else.

* * *

X. Richard

* * *

Richard Cale stood up from his desk, and looked at everyone. Tasha had been right, but he was certain she didn't know the full reason. He then responded to Tasha's statement. "You are right, Tasha. Mr. Sinister would see us as a treasure trove of genetic material to work from. However, those that remain behind will have a greater function. First off, we will need to determine where Mr. Sinister's lair is. Tasha and Alexandra, you two will start in on that." He saw the two girls nod, and could tell that they were ready to start.

He then looked at the others, but mainly at Amy Johnson. "Once we know where they are, I want you to tell Yvette to sit tight. I don't want her trying to escape." He then looked at the others. "Once we know where he is, a team will be put together to strike. Jubilation and Darrett, you two will not be of that team. I will tell you why in a bit. Clarice, you will be with that team, because when the time comes, we will need a quick escape." He saw her nod, knowing it was her ability that was part of the plan.

He sighed and said, "The team that remains here will hold down the fort, so to speak, but a small part of it will be getting Yvette home. That means you'll be one of the ones staying behind, Anne." He noticed the young girl nod. He then said, "Once we know where to go, we will head out. We'll use the cover of night to get there. The strike team will divert Sinister's attention, while the home team pulls off the rescue. Once we hear she is safe, we'll come back."

He saw everyone nod in agreement, and then he took a deep breath. "Now, before we start, I want all the students, except the Team Leaders, Alexandra, and Kiana, to leave. There is something very important I wish to discuss, and I need them present." He saw the confused looks on their faces, but they left the room.

Once all was quiet, he looked at those who remained, wondering how he could best explain the reason for excluding most of the students. Before he could say anything, he heard Everett say, "I have a feeling we aren't going to like this news."

Richard nodded, and then looked over at Alexandra. "I'm sure you are all aware of Alexandra's abilities. As long as she focuses on an individual, she can hear anything around them."

He watched as Graylon nodded. "I had a feeling her power was like that. She could hear whole conversations from the comfort of a room. Hardly any trouble, most times." Richard looked at Graylon, and the reporter held up his hands. "Well, she had some problems focusing on you or Lady Cale from time to time."

Hearing that bit of news made him pause. It only confirmed his thoughts, and he forced himself to continue. "She had told me that much, Graylon. For the some time, we had been thinking that Emplate was in charge of the 'Rippers', since they all were similar to Emplate. Alexandra just confirmed a scenario that I don't think any of us wanted to consider."

He saw Darrett collapse into a chair, with Clarice rushing to his side. All the former Generation X members had looks on their faces of horror. The others in the room, however, had looks that were both puzzled, and worried. After a few moments, Kevin Mitchel broke the silence by saying, "Something tells me this is very bad. What is it?"

Darrett answered the question, and his voice was shaking as he did so. "The 'Rippers' are being led by the worst Emplates from my timeline." He then saw Darrett look straight at him. "Why didn't we ever think of this possibility?"

Richard shook his head. "Because, when you arrived in this timeline all those years ago, we felt certain you prevented it. Team Leaders, once this mission is over, we will have to tell the others. However, until then, the only way Yvette Cale will enter this place is when Anne rescues her. Otherwise, it will be one of the leaders of 'The Rippers' trying to enter. An evil force that has the same faces as myself and Lady Cale, because, they are us, from another timeline." He let the news sink in, and then said, "Right now, it needs to stay with us. I'm betting the 'Rippers' will take this chance to try to get in. So let's work quick to get Yvette back. Understood." He saw everyone nod, and was thankful no one was asking questions. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for a long night, and what was about to begin.

* * *

XI. Mr. Sinister

* * *

Mr. Sinister could not believe his good fortune. The abduction of Lady Yvette Cale had gone off without any real hitches. He had to thank the device for keeping her powers at bay, since he had been certain that even he would not be able to withstand her claws. Long ago, he had managed to get the video from the Massachusetts Academy showing her bust out of the med lab room. He had studied the damage she had caused, and made sure the cell would be able to stand up to that.

He had even been watching both her and Richard Cale for years. He had been waiting years for this chance, and after studying their habits for years, he knew this was the time. He knew Yvette would not use the full force of her powers, since it would destroy her outfit. The woman was self conscious about her figure, but even in what she wore now, he could tell she had a body that would make most women kill to have. He had to laugh how her own power, when fully activated, made her body slimmer, limbs skinnier, and turned her fingers and toes into long claws.

He then marveled at how Richard Cale's power could replicate all of that. It made him wonder if that factored into their genetic compatibility, and even if it would work with others. He then laughed out loud. "To think, my allegiance to Apocalypse all these years had me blind to a genetic treasure trove. I may have to rethink my opinion of the Summers family."

He walked over to some of his equipment, trying to decide which tests he should run first. He would need tissue samples, but given Yvette's healing factor, which he learned about from some of the X-Men's files he had hacked into, it would be very tricky to obtain. Healing factors were one mutant power his devices couldn't fully stop. It could retard them to a point, but it could not stop them. A thought then crossed his mind. "I wonder if I will be able to get that healing factor you have, Lady Cale." The possibilities for it were endless.

He sighed for a moment, and then wondered about the offspring. He knew the Cale's already had two children. It would eventually happen that the children would have powers. He wondered if he could speed up the manifestation of those powers, or what powers would be manifested in any of Yvette's possible offspring. That would have to wait until he got a tissue sample first, though.

He paused, and then looked at the monitor that showed Yvette's cell. He had made sure she could have just a small fraction of her power, hoping to see her claws at work. What he did see surprised him. Yvette had her back to the camera, and was remaining seated. It was not the actions he was hoping for, since he wanted to see how those powerful claws worked.

He watched her for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. He noticed that she seemed to be nodding, as if acknowledging someone, but no one else was there. Could another person be in there, invisible? He shook his head, remembering that the power dampening device would have revealed someone there. Maybe she had a walkie-talkie on her. He dismissed that idea, noticing that both arms were visible.

He stopped looking, and rubbed his eyes. There was no way that could be the case. He needed to focus on the task of preparing for his experiments. It was possible that if he wanted a tissue sample, he would need to modify his tools. That would take time, which he knew he had. There was no way they could find him now. He then set off to work, preparing the instruments he would use.

* * *

XII. Yvette

* * *

Yvette Cale sat quietly in the cell. It was against her own instincts, but she had good reason to remain calm. First, if she would have fully activated her powers, her clothes would be shredded. Her undergarments would have been fine, but if she had escaped, she'd be running around the area in a state that any reporter would comment on. She had already figured that some reporters had commented on her being at the police station that Sinister had bombed.

The second reason she remained calm was Amy Johnson. Her one student was talking to her right now, her voice quiet in the cell. "Lady Cale, please remain calm. They had me contact you to tell you that we will be rescuing you once we locate you. It should not be long, since Tasha and Alex are working together to determine the location."

Hearing Alex was helping made Yvette want to ask how they would do so, but Amy cut her off. "Lord Cale doesn't want you to respond at the moment. Tasha didn't fully tell me why, but she said it was linked to something about Darrett's timeline." At those words, Yvette almost gasped, but controlled herself. Amy then finished by saying, "Just remain calm. Once we know your location, some of us will cause a diversion, while Anne uses her power to rescue you. Just sit tight." With that, Amy went quiet.

Yvette took a deep breath, and thought about what she had just heard. Alexandra was having a hard time focusing on her. They didn't want her to try and escape. And the kicker was that it was linked to Darrett's timeline. Now the accusation of murder made sense. Angelo would have come to England if he had heard from one of them. The police seemed certain her claws caused his death. They all pointed to the idea that her and her husband's counterparts from Darrett's timeline were here.

She looked down, just in case Mr. Sinister was watching, and gasped, hoping he did not see it. If that was true, it meant they had to look at the 'Rippers' in a whole new way. The way Darrett had first viewed them when he arrived, as well as other prejudices, made her realize how grave this thought was. What was more horrifying, was that if it was true, then they were facing a foe that would already know how they think. A foe they never anticipated having. A foe that already had an advantage of time to establish themselves.

Now, she hoped it would not take long for the rescue to happen. The longer she was here, it meant that this foe could possibly sneak into the school, in the guise of claiming to be her. She then lowered her head, and said a quick prayer. After a moment, unsure if Alexandra was trying to focus on her or not, she softly said, "Hun, please hurry." She was more scared of this new threat, than of what ever Sinister might do to her, and time was running out.

End Chapter.


	27. Darkness Revealed

X-Knights 27 Darkness Revealed 17

Attention: The following story is based off Generation X, and the timeline that is known as the Cale Storyline. It starts almost 5 years after the story Class Dismissed. All of Generation X is out of school, and new adventures are about to start.

Chapter 27: Darkness Revealed

* * *

I. Kevin

* * *

Kevin Mitchel looked at the building that was the lair of Mr. Sinister. It did look formidable, but that was because the building was so old. It was not as big as the ancestral home of the Cale's, but it was close to it in size. Luckily, the plan that had been developed made sure the size of the building wasn't a factor, at least not in the rescue.

He thought over the plan again, thinking that their part of the plan was the easiest. They were supposed to storm the building, obviously to rescue Lady Cale. Some of the students, and a majority of the teachers would use their talents to make their way inside. They were sure that there would be other guards, since it would be foolish to think Sinister would be there alone. In fact, Lord Cale felt it was certain that there would be guards, since it would have been certain that a rescue attempt would happen.

He then looked at the people who were in the forefront of the rescue team. Since they left the school, Lord Cale had insisted that everyone use codenames. Lord Richard Cale, who stood in the center of the force, was looking at the place to, and quietly said, "Ready yourselves." In that instant, he got to see the full range of powers that Generation X had possessed.

Kevin knew about Lord Cale's power, and remembered when he was told the headmaster of the school's codename was Skitz. Now he was stunned as Skitz's whole body changed. His limbs started to get narrower, and his fingers had become claws. His hair became spikes, and the eyes became a pure glowing brown.

Kevin then saw the other teachers transform. The newest teachers, Paige Guthrie and Jonothan Starsmore, had the most surprising transformations. Paige had ripped off her skin, and underneath, was a body of pure steel. Jonothan's face and chest appeared to be engulfed in a pseudo-fire, since he couldn't feel any heat from it. It now made sense that their codenames were Husk and Chamber.

He saw then Monet St. Croix, whose code name was Lady X, fly into the air, followed by Everett Thomas, who was now surrounded by a glowing aura. The aura did as his teacher's codename said, it 'synch'ed with the other teacher's powers. Right on the far sides of the line of teachers were the ones calling themselves Balam and Rage. Balam seemed to grow in size, looking like a giant cat, something he had seen before when the school had been attacked on the day she arrived. Rage, who was Ambassador Leveneque's bodyguard, however, seemed to radiate elemental power.

Behind them were the students, and some of the other teachers. Thomas Jacobs, known as Chance, didn't appear to have powers, but he had uncanny luck. Next to him was one of the newer student, Arron Aran, who had already changed into some thing that could fly. Arron's talent was the ability to transform into, of all things, video game characters. Those were the only students there, since most of the others were not fighters, and might be in serious trouble if caught.

The teachers in the back, however, were the ones that were not going to fight. They had other jobs. He looked at Clarice Ferguson-Thomas, known as Blink, and saw she was not happy staying in the back. He figured a good part of that was that she acted as Lord Cale's bodyguard. Now she was to use her teleportation powers to get them home, once the plan had succeeded. Next to her, with special earphones on, was Davis Skinur, whose code name was Harmonic. His eyes were glowing, which meant his power was active. He was pointing at the lair, and he said, "Alright, I've got it. Sinister will only see what we want him to see, until we leave. You're on, Switchover."

Kevin nodded when he heard his codename, and stepped up to the sidewalk that lead to the door. He also noticed the last of the adults stepping forward. It was the reporter, Graylon Walsh, but he still didn't understand why the man was here. Was Walsh going to do a story on the rescue? Lord Cale had been vague on that. All his teacher had said was that what Kevin would do would help Graylon.

Kevin just kneeled down, and touched the sidewalk. As he did so, it turned to metal. It actually appeared to be flowing out from his hands. The metal appeared to spread all along the sidewalk, until he could no longer feel the change happening. He stood up, and looked at the others. "All done." He then stood back, off of the metal, and waited for the next step.

* * *

II. Jonothan

* * *

Jonothan had been impressed by the young mutant's power. Sure, he had seen Mondo alter his form to merge into walls and ground, but a touch to alter matter, that was amazing. It probably took a lot of will power to do that, but now was not the time to wonder about that. They had a friend to rescue.

He looked at everyone, and noticed those unfamiliar to him seemed to stare at the fiery furnace that was the cause of his codename. He then spoke to them in the psychic version of his voice. _"Listen up, since I know most of you here had never gone up against Mr. Sinister before. He is obsessed with genetics, and any powerful mutant family line. If your power seems powerful in his eyes, he'll do what he can to have you captured alive."_

He saw the slightly worried looks across some of the students' faces. Some of the teachers looked concerned, but to the credit of his former Generation X teammates, the majority didn't show it. He glanced over at Richard, seeing his teammate nod, and noticed that Richard's skin was now as red as Yvette's was when her power was active. Talking would be hard for the mutant now, so he continued. _"Skitz has said that as long as we stick to the plan, then no one will end up captured. Just note that while Sinister worked alone to capture Penance, he will most likely have minions here. I would not be surprised if they are some he genetically engineered."_

He noticed at that point that Christy's tail twitched. She honestly appeared nervous for a moment as she asked an important question. "Do you think he has some sort of way of countering our powers?"

For a moment, Jonothan paused. If Sinister did have that option, which he had used to counter Yvette's powers, the consequences would be disastrous. If his power were to be fully suppressed, he would die. He was also made aware of Arron's own affliction, which if the boy was in his normal human form, any light would burn his skin. It was a humbling thought. He glanced at Christy, and wondered how power suppression would affect her.

It then dawned on him that it would not be a concern. Not only would it hamper them, but it would hamper Sinister's minions. He then said, _"He won't use it if he has it. Since we are outside, he can't contain it. Also, if we can't use ours, his minions can't use theirs." _He then released the blast, and in flash, the door was in ruins_._

He was not surprised when two huge goons came out of the door. They had been anticipating that move, and had stepped out on the sidewalk. He was certain the students couldn't handle this. He wasn't even sure the Gen X members were ready. He was surprised when Graylon stepped up to the metal sidewalk, smiled, and said, "Allow me."

Jonothan was about to ask the reporter what he was going to do, when the reporter knelt down and touched the metal. The second he did that, he realized that Graylon was a mutant. Richard had hinted that Graylon would be useful, and no one questioned it. Now he saw why, as lightning shot from his hands, and jumped down the metal path. The two goons that had stepped out only had time to blink as electricity hit them and knocked them back into the wall. He glanced at Graylon, and the reporter gave him another smile, before asking, "Think they will fall for that twice?" When he saw the next goon jump out of the door, he already knew the answer.

* * *

III. Thomas

* * *

Thomas Jacobs, known as Chance on the team, knew the fight was on, and was only momentarily surprised to see Graylon Walsh was a mutant. He took it all in stride, mainly because he was relying on his luck powers. Normally, he'd use his luck to avoid fights, and out maneuver those who intended to hurt him. Now, he had to use his luck to assist him in a fight.

He moved forward with the rest of the group as more enemies came out of the building. Those who were the teachers rushed forward, each using their power to aid them in battle. He almost marveled when he saw the grace some of them used while wielding their powers. Some of it was like poetry in motion, when Lord Cale slashed at one minions leg, and Paige, who said her codename was Husk, rammed a fist into another's gut.

At that moment, something in him told him to look left. He turned just as one of the minions rushed him. Instantly, he crouched, which not only kept him from being hit by the minion, but also allowed Chamber to fire a blast at the goon, knocking him away. Thomas took a moment to shout back to Chamber, "Thanks." He didn't wait for a response, since his power already told him another attacker was coming.

He was about ready to spin kick the creep, when a huge form bounded over, and swatted it away. He then appreciated the extent of Balam's power, as the cat-girl watched the figure fly, but addressed him. "You need to keep on your guard, Chance. And don't just rely on your luck. Rely on your senses."

He saw the figure flying towards Rage, the body guard of the French Ambassador, who managed to harness the wind at that moment. As wind seemed to juggle the man in the air, he said to Balam, "My luck is helping me keep track of every one of the minions here on the ground. That one that Rage is keeping airborne will be no threat when he hits the ground.

He saw Balam shake her head, and he wondered if she was disapproving of Rage's methods, or the man himself. "Then you better be prepared to jump backwards soon." With those odd words, he saw her bound towards another foe. The words didn't make sense, but he needed to keep fighting. It was a key part of Lord Cale's plan. They fight until the get the signal, and luckily the students were keeping up with things.

He was on that thought when he finally noticed the growing shadow from above. Instantly, he jumped backwards, recalling Balam's words, and had jumped just in time to miss being hit by a fallen foe. He glanced up, and realized he had forgotten about the aerial battle. Some of their attackers had been able to fly. He inwardly cursed himself for forgetting that detail, and remembering Lord Cale's trick during their first lesson. He had to remember that his luck factored with things that were in his scope of knowledge. If he forgot, or didn't know something, it factored in to what his luck could do. He would not forget that again, especially as Monet flew towards another opponent in the air.

* * *

IV. Monet

* * *

Monet St. Croix kept up with the aerial battle with ease. It wasn't all that hard, given her powers, and the fact that she wasn't the only one fighting the battle in the air. Everett and Aaron were in the air as well, Everett in synch with her powers, and Aaron in the form of a huge bird. The only thing she could be certain about the form was that it could hold its own against the minions of Mr. Sinister.

During the battle, she saw one of the flying minions she had thrown heading right towards Chance. He had jumped out the way in time, but she noticed and apologetic look on his face. She glared at him, and said, "Remember to keep your mind and eyes on the battle, Chance. You can't neglect any of your senses in a battle." To demonstrate, she quickly hovered to the side, as one of Sinister's minions flew by, who was obviously trying to knock her out of the air.

She saw the young man nod. "Sorry, I forgot to take those guys up there into account. I'll keep track of them now. That way," he punctuated the last word with a quick upward turn of his fist to hit a minion coming from behind, "I will dodge them easier." She nodded in appreciation and watched as he continued his fight.

For a brief moment, she felt proud that the young mutant was mastering his powers over luck. The past month, while it had been very hectic, had shown great progress. In fact, all the students had shown great progress. However, this situation was beyond what any student of a month should expect. Granted, almost every member of Generation X had been thrust into battle within a few days of joining. Sometimes, being a mutant meant fighting in battles.

In that moment of pride, Monet realized she had forgotten what she had just told Chance. She lost track of the battle, and in that moment, one of Sinister's flying goons slammed in to her. She wasn't too worried about injury, thanks to the powers she had. However, since she was caught off guard, she lost control of her flight, and went flying.

As she fell, she tried to right herself, but it was not possible at the speed she was going. What would most likely happen would be she'd end up knocking out one of her friends, and then they would end up captured. She took a bit of comfort that Arran had managed to strike the minion out of the air. It was also the first time she notice that the form the student had taken had a metal mask over the bird's eyes and beak. Obviously, that was the advantage the bird had over the others. Arron had chosen wisely.

She was lost in that thought for a moment when she realized she had stopped flying. She glanced back, and noticed Everett was behind her. "Geez, Lady X, I know it's been a while, but don't space out now." He had flown over and caught her, before she could cause any problems. For a brief moment, she felt thankful, and regretful. For a time, she had wanted to be dating Everett, but fate paired him with Jubilation.

She nodded, and responded. "Indeed, we don't need certain people getting jealous, Jubilation included in that comment." For a moment, she thought Everett nodded, but then noticed the look in his eyes. He did love Jubilee, and that statement should not have been made. She then glanced over at Davis, and she remembered that she had someone now, too. At least, she hoped that was the case. Despite his past, Davis was a very nice person. She then returned to the battle, making sure to keep her mind on the plan.

* * *

V. Clarice

* * *

Clarice Ferguson-Thomas took a sharp intake of breath, and then let it out when she saw Monet returning to the battle. She hated standing in the background, especially with Skitz fighting in the battle, but she understood her part in the plan. When the time came, they had to make a quick escape, and if she had been taken out in a battle, that part of the plan would fall apart. Still, it was contrary to her instincts to fight, those instincts honed in the Age of Apocalypse.

She also knew that the latest turn in the battle was hard for Davis Skinur, who was standing next to her. He was now going by the codename Harmonic, but she knew that a relationship was just starting between him and Monet. She had heard his intake of breath when Monet had gotten hit, and could tell he wanted to go to her aid. However, his part of the attack was to take control of the security system. A part he was already doing, which was key to the plan. She took a moment to glance in his direction, and asked, "Are you alright?"

He nodded, although he looked a bit strained. "Yea, just didn't need that. It's taking a good deal of my power to keep the one sector from revealing the trick. I just hope I didn't falter when Monet got hit." She nodded in agreement, and then he asked the key question. "Any word yet?" She shook her head, knowing what he was asking. This part of the plan would end when they heard from Voice.

She returned her gaze to the battle, and watched as her teammates kept up with the goons of Mr. Sinister. She wondered why he hadn't gotten into the battle, but she put it up to the fact that he was more a scientist. He was the same way in her timeline, except he had done a lot more experimenting. It was partially for this reason that she wanted to fight with Sinister. She didn't want this one conducting some of the same experiments her version had done in her timeline, here in this timeline.

She was in that thought when she finally heard Voice speak, soft enough to not be heard by those in the battle, but loud enough for them to hear. "Mission accomplished. Target retrieved. Time to get them out of there."

Clarice turned and nodded at Davis, and he understood. The mission was complete, and it was time to pull out. She then turned to the fight, and shouted, "Fall back. We need to regroup." At that instant, the fight changed. Every member of the team kept up their fight, but made sure all their blows were stronger, and knocked their foes far enough back to allow escape. The sudden change surprised the few minions still standing, and it took them a moment to realize the change. The minions didn't realize they were in what appeared to be a winning position until she opened the portal, and team members started teleporting away. It was not all the way home, but to the vehicle they had taken. It was a key part of the plan, and she was sure Mr. Sinister would discover the truth in a few moments.

* * *

VI. Sinister

* * *

Mr. Sinister watched from his command center at the remarkable change in events. He had not been surprised that Generation X had attacked. He was certain they would try it after he had abducted Yvette Cale. He was a little surprised that they had brought some of the students from Cale's school. The real surprising thing was that all of sudden, they were turning tail. The X-Men would not run away after a few hits. That told him they had lost their confidence. They realized they were out classed. In fact, not all of them were fighting. He noticed the man with the lavender mutant, and he appeared to have some sort of portable stereo on him.

For a brief moment, he recalled something Apocalypse had mentioned. There had been a mutant who could do anything when he had music around him. He also heard that the mutant had broken free of Apocalypse's control. This had to be the mutant, and he was certain the mutant was helping protect Generation X and their charges.

He turned on his communications device, and said, "Make sure you capture some of them, and that they are alive. There is great potential down there that I want to study." He then glanced at the monitor that displayed Yvette Cale still in her cell. While it was true that her partnership with Richard Cale might have yielded powerful offspring, he wanted to see what other mutant couplings could result in.

Mr. Sinister returned his gaze to the battle, and grimaced. Many of the attackers had fled into a portal created by the lavender mutant. If he recalled right, her codename was Blink, and that this one came from another timeline. He also remembered that she was one of the bodyguards of the Cale's. Again, he saw another source of potential gene pairings. The sad thing was that his underlings were being kept at bay, and all the mutants were escaping. It would be no matter. No doubt they would come back, after his initial sample gathering was done. He had worked all night to prepare the equipment so Yvette's healing factor would be sufficiently hampered.

He got up, and left his command center as the last of the mutants escaped. It would only be a temporary set back, since he still had Yvette Cale. No doubt, tomorrow, or the next day, they would attack again, and he would be better prepared. He would make those preparations in a bit. As he left the command center, he briefly noticed one of the monitors flicker, but that was just a fluke. The one who used electricity, the reporter Graylon Walsh, which he would make note of later, must have had a lingering effect.

He passed through his lab, grabbing the equipment he would need, and then headed down to Yvette's cell. As he did so, he couldn't help but whistle. It was rare when he could tap into the kind of potential held by the Cale's, and he was going to enjoy it. He'd first hamper her healing factor, and diamond sharp skin. Then he'd either knock her out, or get his sample while she was still awake. Either way was fine by him.

He entered the cell area, and approached the cell. "Well, Lady Cale, it seems your husband tried to rescue you, but underestimated me. A shame I couldn't bring him here, but it will….." He stopped talking when he reached the cell, and looked inside. For a moment, he couldn't believe what he was seeing, but then it all made sense. He had thought the mutant whose powers involved music was protecting the attackers. No, he was messing with the equipment. The flicker on the screen made sense now. Even the sudden turn around of the battle made sense. He started to laugh, however. "Very clever, Cale, very clever. However, this is only a minor set back." He turned around, and headed back to his lab. He would need to think of a new way to obtain his goal, since he now learned that Generation X and their charges were as wily as the X-Men.

* * *

VII. Tasha

* * *

Tasha Lewis sat in the main hall, surround by the others who had remained behind. She didn't mind being left behind, since they were prepared for what was coming. It didn't make the wait easier, but their job was simple. They were to keep the door closed. Thanks to Alexandra Cain, they knew what was coming, and figured that someone was going to try and fool their way in. For that reason, she, Prince James, Ambassador Leveneque and his daughter, Eloise, as well as a few others who had not gone on the mission sat quietly. The only ones not in the room where the teachers Jubilation Thomas and Darrett Thomas-Ferguson, and her fellow classmates Anne Smith, Amy Johnson and Alexandra.

For the longest time, the room had been silent, and she glanced at Prince James. She could see a range of emotions on his face. She could see a bit of let down, since he had not been allowed to go on the mission, as well as concern for those who had gone. She placed an arm around his shoulders, and then said, "Worried about everything?"

She saw him nod, and didn't pressure for a response. After a moment, the Prince finally spoke. "Everything that has happened so far has been a bit much. I know Lord Cale said it was not easy being a mutant, but it seems we have enemies everywhere. People want to kill us because we are mutants, or experiment on us, and given what you just told us, how can we even trust our teachers?"

She had no response for that, but was surprised when Jean Levenique answered. "It is something one has to judge for ones self, your majesty." She noticed the words seemed to sober James up, and the Ambassador continued. "The truth be told, at one time I was an enemy, and had I not been duped by another person, I might have remained that way. I know one of the people you call a teacher had been an enemy as well at one time. It is difficult to know who you can trust, and sometimes we make mistakes. It is something that is the same with humans and mutants alike."

She could feel some of the tension leave the room at that moment. Tasha knew that the Ambassador's words were truthful, and part of her wondered what the man's past had been. She was about to ask on that, but there was a sudden pounding at the door. For a moment, they were all quiet, and the pounding happened again. It was Eloise who got up, and headed to the door, looking out through a window along side the door. "Eet ees Lady Cale."

She glanced around the room, and noticed everyone was nodding. It was what they had been expecting all this time. Tasha got up, and walked over to the intercom that was on the door. She activated it and said, "How can we help you?"

She remained calm, even though she could sense both joy and hostility on the other side of the door. _"It is Lady Cale. I managed to escape from Sinister, but his minions are following me. Open the door and let me in." _It was very convincing, and she almost wanted to open the door. She glanced out the window, and on first glance, she would have been certain it was Lady Cale.

At that moment, she heard Jubilation Thomas say, "That is serious. We'll be opening the door in a moment." She turned back, and saw everyone was doing so. Entering the main hall was the others, but they were being followed by who she was certain was going to open the door. She could see then that the plan had worked, and Lady Cale had been rescued. It was also unfortunate for whomever was on the opposite side of the door, especially as she saw the pure blue in the eyes of the woman approaching the door.

* * *

VIII. Necra

* * *

Necra watched from her hiding spot as Lady Dark pounded on the door, and then spoke to someone on the other side. When they had arrived at the school, they waited, since they were unsure when the rescue party would leave. When it finally happened, Lady Dark said it would be best to wait for a half hour. The reason for that was so that when they pulled their stunt, it would be to little interference.

She knew the plan was perfect. Lady Dark would easily fool them into thinking she was Lady Cale, who had escaped from Mr. Sinister. After they open the door, they would attack. Jack had some of the Rippers to swarm in, and Necra's own frightening form would cause them to be frozen in fear. In a few moments, the Ripper's would be feasting on the mutants within the school.

Just as she thought that, she wondered where Jack was. He should have at least joined her where she was concealed, with a group of the 'Rippers'. It didn't make sense for them not to be here now. A failure at this point might cost him his head. That didn't bother her too much, since he was right under Lord and Lady Dark. She would not mind being their second-in-command.

She put that thought out of her mind when she saw Lady Dark motion to her to be ready. While she only heard the people on the other side of the closed door when the intercom was on, she figured Lady Dark knew they would open the door. She had a feeling that Lady Dark has some latent psychic abilities, but it was obvious that the leaders of the 'Rippers' did not rely on them too much. Of course, one would have to be a fool to attack a person with Lady Dark's powers.

Necra readied her body to spring to action when she noticed a slight movement in the door. The door was obviously being unlocked by what ever morsel was behind it. Given her current state, she didn't need the food, but it was fun to partake in it. She had to control herself, and hoped Jack and his group would also hold back their attack. The attack was not supposed to begin until Lady Dark crossed the threshold.

That moment, Necra realized, was not going to happen, as she saw Lady Dark go flying backwards. When it happened, she saw what had to have been a bolt of lightning coming from inside the door, striking Lady Dark's head. She noticed Lady Dark looked like she had gone limp, but the figure was just groaning. She knew that whomever had done that would be slaughtered, in a slow, painful matter.

She then gasped as she saw who was coming out of the door. She could not believe it was possible, since that was the person the school was supposed to be rescuing. Had the news of recent events been a ruse to bring them out into the open? Then Necra remember the one young mutant Jack had told them about. A mutant who could fold time and space. They would have had her use her powers to rescue the woman at the door, and stage an attack as a diversion. That also meant one other thing. The identities of Lord and Lady Dark was known to the school, and maybe even the world.

* * *

IX. Yvette

* * *

Lady Yvette Cale stepped out the door, and glared at the person who had been at the door. She had already been told who it was, and it sickened her. The turn of events that created this entity made her sick, but not as much as the fact that the events that originally created Lady Dark had been prevented. She should not exist, yet here she was. She also knew the people still at the school had followed her out the door, and were flanking her. She was glad they were there, since she didn't think the figure who was stirring was alone.

She focused on Lady Dark, who locked eyes with her, and she over came the oddness of looking into her eyes. She wasn't sure if another psi-bolt would work on her, but she was certain that her foe wasn't prepared for that kind of combat. Lady Dark, she could tell, was angry with the fact that her plan had not worked, and that her identity had been found out. That was evident in the hiss that crossed her lips as she spoke. "How did you get back at the school? You should be in the lab of that bastard Sinister."

Yvette did not let the words phase her. She just glared at Lady Dark, and smiled what one would call a wolfish smile. "I think you may have an idea on how I got back here. You were just hoping to fool everyone, and it could have worked, had we not found out your little secret." She saw the look of shock cross Lady Dark's face, and she now understood when people would say about seeing the look on your own face. Had this little situation been not expected, she might have found humor in it.

She was not surprised when Lady Dark started getting to her feet. She had already figured Lady Dark would have a similar recovery time to her. She also noticed that her foes hands were starting to tense up into claws. She could also hear the venom in the woman's voice, which was now starting to stutter with building fury. "Y-y-y-you c-c-c-could n-n-not h-h-have kn-n-n-now."

For a brief second, while she kept her gaze focused on Lady Dark, she pitied the woman, the one who had been turned into an Emplate. However, she knew better than to afford the woman too much of that. She had been turned into a monster, but the next words would deliver a blow more powerful than any strike. "In all honesty, we didn't until last night. Our one student had stumbled upon your little secret, and we pieced it all together. It explained the focus on Mancer." She pointed to Darrett as she said that. "As well as the growth of the 'Rippers'. You must have lucked out when Emplate had returned, since you knew we would think he was behind your group. We know the truth, Yvette." She said the last word with such power that Lady Dark was stunned in shock.

While Lady Dark was in that state, Yvette shifted her attention to movement from one of the hedges on the large lawn. A figure had emerged, and was running towards them. At first, she thought it might have been one of the group that was distracting Sinister, but she saw them arriving back. She then noticed the rotted appearance the figure had, but the look in the eyes wasn't of a mindless creature, or a monster. The eyes were of a sentient human being, or mutant.

At that moment, instinct kicked in, and she immobilized her attacker. Again, she launched a psi-bolt, and the second it hit the new figure, she realized the truth. The figure, which had to have been a woman, had the power to animate the dead. However, as the figure collapsed to the ground, she realized the woman had been using a majority of her power to remain alive. In that moment, she wanted to throw up, because she had killed someone, but she realized that the person had been dead to begin with. She then turned her attention to the twisted version of herself.

* * *

X. Lady Dark

* * *

Lady Dark was coming out of the shock of what had happened. She had been found out, and in turn, they knew the identity of Lord Dark. What was worse was the fact that who delivered the news was Lady Cale. She had not been aware that Lady Cale's psychic powers had been so far advanced. She had already been aware that her alternate had those powers, but she figured she didn't rely on them. Of course, her own lack of psychic powers could have been because of when she had been abducted from Generation X in her timeline.

She dropped that line of thought when she saw Necra collapse. The zombie, animated by its own mutant power, had been a loyal follower, but she was glad to be rid of it. She hated seeing a past meal shuffling about. It also allowed her to focus her hatred on the lucky version of herself, as well as end the stutter her fury caused. "I bet you think you've won, now that you know who leads 'The Rippers'. Well, think again. ATTACK!"

As she shouted the last word, she heard Jack and his group of Rippers come running through the wall at the far end of the yard. She figured that the small group of people here would still be no match for the Rippers she had brought with. She was even certain they were frozen in fright. They had to be stunned by the number of enemies coming for them.

She was confused when none of them displayed any signs of fear, until she heard the fighting. She dared a glance in the direction of the fighting and was shocked to see the ones who had gone on the rescue mission were fighting the 'Rippers'. How had that happened, and then she noticed the woman with lavender skin. She had heard rumors about her from the one they called Portal, the one who had allowed them here. It could not be the same one, unless, some how, that one ended up here had created a clone of themselves.

Lady Dark pushed that thought out of her mind, remembering that this fight was the key thing. The problem was, the battle was not going her way. Her minions were being held off, some even being slain by some of the defenders. If they didn't retreat now, she might even end up captured. She did see the one thing that would distract them all, and allow her to escape.

In an instant, she tensed her own skin, and it was so tense and sharp, she was certain that if her target didn't die, he would bet out of action for a long while. She looked at Lady Cale, who she heard say, "It's time you gave up. Your forces are being wiped out, and you are outnumbered." She noticed that Lady Cale was already tensing her own hands, but not to the sharpness she had.

She glanced over at the fight, and then smirked at Lady Cale. Since she had more practice with this power, she had no trouble speaking when tensed up. "All it takes is the right target to be struck." She then lunged at Lord Cale, whose back was turned. In an instant, she raked his back with her claws. There was an ear shattering yell of pain, and she vaulted over the crowd as it froze.

She cleared the line of battle, and passed all of them, yelling, "Jack, get the remaining 'Rippers'. We must depart." She heard them following her, but she chanced a glance back. She saw most of her attackers crowded around Lord Cale. She then glanced at her claws, noticing the trickle of his blood on them. It didn't bother her, since he wasn't Lord Dark. What did bother her was the fact that she could not see any hint at a pool of blood. It didn't make sense. Then she realized the obvious fact. Her version had accepted Emplate's power. This one had accepted Penance's power, which meant he had the healing factor. Regardless of that, she knew he would be hurting for a bit, at it would give them time to retreat.

* * *

XI. Jean

* * *

Jean Leveneque ran forward as the Rippers retreated. If he had not seen his own fair share of odd encounters while he had Asylum Seven running, he would have been severely shaken by seeing an evil version of Yvette Cale. He could determine what had happened to that one, having noticed the mouths on the hands, the mark of Emplate. Obviously, in the past, she had been fully enthralled to Emplate, and no doubt in the timeline she had been from, so had Richard Cale.

That thought brought him back to matters at hand. He ran over to Richard, joining the others who had rushed to his side. He could tell that the cuts were bad, but was surprised that they were already mending. Still, he could tell the man who helped get him off his destructive path was in no condition to move on his own. He glanced around, and shouted, "Someone, help me get him inside."

He grabbed one of Richard's arms, and then saw that the person who grabbed the other arm was Balam. The action confirmed to him that she no longer saw him as the evil person she always had in the past. As she helped get him inside, he noticed a nasty cut on her own leg. For a moment, he wanted to tell her to get help for herself, but she cut him off. "I know, but it will heal. Richard is in worst shape at the moment. Besides, I think he was closer to Thomas prior to the time it happened. From what I've been told, he's got a way with good luck."

Jean blinked, and then heard Richard speak. "She's right, Jean. It hurts like hell, but I can tell no major organs were hit. I think she missed all major arteries as well. I remember saying years ago that I would never want to get on Yvette's bad side. Now we know what it's like."

As they got him inside, he heard everyone following him in. He also noticed Sean Cassidy running down into the main hall, followed by the little kids. "Faith and begora, what happened?" He noticed that Sean was trying to keep the kids back, obviously to keep them from seeing their father in this state.

As if she was the only one who could provide the answer, Clarice answered, and her tone told Jean that she was upset, not only at the situation, but with herself as well. "Yvette's counterpart snuck a nasty attack in while we were fighting off her minions. I think Richard might be out of action for a little bit."

For a moment, he almost panicked as Richard started to collapse to the floor, but the young man caught himself, almost with a slight laugh. "So my back is a bit tender, I'll recover. Considering what we accomplished, if this is the worst that happened to us, we should consider ourselves lucky." He then noticed Yvette rushing forward, as well as Clarice. The two women each took one of Richard's arms, and escorted him off to what they called their med center.

As everyone started talking with one another, and Sean and the gentleman known as Darrett tried to comfort the children, Jean noticed Balam was now sitting down in a chair, trying to check her leg. For a moment, he remembered the past, and inwardly cursed himself for being the foolish hate filled person he had been before. He then walked over, and asked, "How soon will it heal?"

He noticed her look at him, before she sighed and responded. "It will take a few days. Makes me wish I had a healing factor like the Cale's have." He saw her stop checking her leg, and stand up, noticing a slight wobble as she did so. He reached to help her, but she held up a hand, and then steadied herself. He had to admire that independence, even though he was sure it was part of her own cat-like nature. He noticed that she was now giving him a slight smile. "It might give me some extra time to convince Kevin that you've changed your ways."

He nodded in agreement. "Yes, but I'm not really going anywhere. I think this place will be best for Eloise right now." He noticed Balam blink in surprise, but he just continued. "I'll be staying at the French embassy for a while, until Eloise is fully settled in and comfortable. I may even ask Lord Cale if Rage can help teach from time to time."

He heard a slight laugh come from Balam at that moment. "I think he and Blink might enjoy a rematch. I've noticed how they eye each other. I'm guessing something happened in Japan."

He laughed as well. "She left him stranded on a mountain top." He then sighed, and noticed she was giving him a concerned look, like she was picking up on what he was going to say, before he said it. "I have corrected my ways, but one individual has changed the part of Asylum Seven that he was in control of. He had turned it into his own set of thugs. I tell you this because it is someone Kevin knows. I want you to tell him, and the Cales, that Dio is coming."

He heard her gasp. "That is not good. Even our own altercations with Dio left us wounded. If he were to come here..."

He nodded, and completed the thought. "He'd see the opportunities. The Cale's fortune and status. The Prince of England, a student here. Eloise here as well. Add to it the powers some of these kids have. Kevin would do better helping here with Dio running about, then going after me for my past sins." He saw her nod in agreement. He then noticed that everyone was leaving the main hall.

As he looked over, he saw Graylon Walsh walking over to him. He noticed a concerned look on the reporter's face, but he wasn't sure if it was because he overheard them, or because of what happened to Richard. He got his answer when the reporter spoke. "Hey, Richard wants us all to come to the med center. He's alright, except his back is a bit tender. He just wanted to talk to us about everything. It's been a hell of a month." Jean had to nod in agreement, and they all headed out of the room.

* * *

XII. Richard

* * *

Richard Cale sat on the bed in the med center as everyone gathered around. He didn't want to lay down, since his injuries were healing. Also, he felt it was better to address everyone while standing. He looked over everyone as the last of the people were entering the room. Once everyone was in the room, which seemed a bit smaller than it had before, he began. "Well, this has been a very eventful month, hasn't it?" He noticed a few murmurs, but ignored them. "We have only had this school open a month, and we have made some rather outspoken foes. However, I think we may have put a slight dent in their forces."

He glanced around as some people nodded, but he looked over at Graylon Walsh, the reporter who had been hiding his mutant power. "In fact, we lucked out in turning one who thought we were up to something into an ally." He saw Graylon nod, and then he looked over at Tasha Lewis. "And we also put a severe cramp into a few hatemongering groups." He saw her blink twice before she realized what he said.

He then looked over at Jonothan and Paige, and he smiled at them. "We also managed to rebuild some bridges that had been thought burned." He then returned his attention to everyone. "However, there are still some threats that are out there, ready to strike at us. Emplate and his minions. Mr. Sinister. Even Claudette and her group. All of those, we managed to surprise, and even cut down on their numbers." He glanced over at Kiana, and said, "You were key in one of those events, Kiana, and if you choose to leave after we get your cousin into a more secure facility..."

He didn't get to finish as the Asian girl shook her head. "No, sir. I'm hoping to remain here. I know I'm not a mutant, but I'm hoping to learn more about my own mystical skills from you, and more tolerance from being here." He nodded approvingly at that statement.

He then looked at all of them again. He looked at the students who had done so well both here, and at Sinister's lair. He noticed how some seemed to stand more towards others, but also as a group. He had been aware that some of the students might have been falling for one another. However, all of that would be tested by the revelation they had all now heard about. "The most dangerous thing we now must face are 'The Rippers'." He noticed that some of the group were nodding in agreement. He sighed, realizing how hard this topic would be. "Many of us are already aware that multiple timelines exist, and run parallel to ours. Some of those were thought to have collapsed, after the key events were altered by someone from that timeline. 'The Rippers' are led by two of those refugees, and it is my grim news to tell you that those two refugees are evil versions of Lady Cale, and myself."

He was thankful when no one gasped, but Darrett had decided to continue the explanation. "I'm also from that time line. I had been sent back to alter the key moment that created it. Rescuing Richard and Yvette from Emplate at Godiva's museum several years ago. If he had been successful, what would have happened would have gone like this. Emplate would have forced his ability on Richard. Richard would have enthralled Yvette. They would have learned of Monet's nature at the time, and lost it. They would have then eliminated Generation X and Emplate, while turning the world into an Emplate paradise. It seems they found away to escape the collapsing timeline."

Richard nodded, and then said, "For now, they have avoided making themselves known. I'm guessing that after Yvette's abduction, they figured they would have an excellent opportunity to take our places. Had Alexandra not stumbled upon them with her ability, we would have been taken by surprise, and maybe not survived. However, we proved that, while our abilities may not be overly aggressive, they are strong in their own way. We'll need more training, but now we know who our adversaries are." He saw everyone nod, but he wasn't sure what to say after that. How would they combat these evil doubles? He wasn't sure, but he knew they would have to figure that out soon. There was no telling when the next attack would come.

He was thankful when Yvette just smiled and motioned to everyone in the room. "Alright. I think we all get the idea. Starting Monday, when we do our training classes, we will increase what we cover. We may have a good deal of time before someone else decides they want to attack us. So let's make the most of it." He saw them all nod, and then he saw his wife motion for them to leave. "As for now, let's just say you've earned a long weekend." He noticed a few faces brighten up at that, and then saw everyone leave the room.

Once they were all gone, he turned to face his wife, and said, "I'm glad we got you back. I think we are going to have to try and figure out a way to prepare them for the fight we know is coming."

He saw her nod. "I know. My counterpart is definitely evil. The way she talked, and the fact that she was the one who killed Angelo. I have a feeling yours is going to be worse than that." He shuddered when he heard that. While Yvette's counterpart had no problems slashing his back, he didn't want to think what his counterpart would be capable of. However, he was sure they had to be ready for it.

Richard looked his wife in the eyes, and then said in their mental link, _"This will be tough for all of us. Maybe it was best that we found out now, since all this time, we thought it was Emplate."_ He saw her nod in agreement, and then he hugged her. It was the best thing for the moment. He was certain more difficulties were going to arrive in the coming months, and they would need all the inner strength the could muster together.

End The First Month.

* * *

Authors Note:

* * *

This is the last chapter of X-Knights : The First Month. The next post I do for this will be a seperate story, which will be a better read. I tried to do this in an episodic fashion, but after all this time, I felt I should go back to a more story themed format. So please keep a watch for when the next story is posted. I shall post it in chapters, but nothing as long as The First Month has been. Feel free to leave any views, comments and requests on my forum. myforums/Richard-B-Sampson-Jr/85876/


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